State Of Decay
by GTAFanWriter
Summary: My version of State of Decay, mostly taken from the game with minor changes to dialogue and exploration of character relationships. Marcus and Ed were enjoying their annual fishing trip when all Hell breaks loose and the zombie apocalypse sets in. Now the duo must band with a group of survivors to survive the undead chaos. Marcus/Maya, Ed/Lily Please review
1. Chapter 1: Vacation

State Of Decay

Chapter 1: Vacation

"Holy shit man! Holy shit!" Ed shouted as he was surrounded by five people. They were dead and starting to rot, their eyes glowed and their clothes were torn. Marcus grabbed a tree branch laying on the ground and started hitting the people, he knocked one down and walked up and bashed it's head in with the branch. He and Ed then took care of the rest, Ed who was nimble and had quick reflexes dodged the attacks and pushed the people from behind l, he then bashed their heads in one by one while Marcus, who was a strong muscular man, used brute force on them. When the attackers were dead Marcus looked at Ed, who looked shaken up. "Are you ok?" He asked Ed. "One of those psychos tried to bit me, but yeah I'm fine." Ed replied. "We can't just stay here in the open that's for damn sure." Marcus told Ed. "Ranger station?" Ed asked. "Ranger station, maybe they can tell is what's going on." Marcus replied. "We been gone two weeks and what everybody takes up cannibalism?" Ed asked in a scared tone. "Beats me." Marcus replied. Marcus was scared but kept his composure, he didn't want Ed to know he was scared too. He knew someone had to be strong if they were going to make it out if here. Marcus had good leadership skills, he and Ed worked at the same bank together where Marcus was a bank clerk and Ed was an accountant. Marcus was close to getting the manager's position because of his leadership trai. He knew that a good leader must be strong and composed.

Marcus and Ed walked up the trail, they came across more people, they were rotting as well. "Hold up." Marcus said crouching down. "Shit these guys look messed up too." Ed told Marcus. "Yeah, stay low and keep quiet. Maybe we can get past them without being seen." Marcus replied. They crept through the bushes slowly and quietly past the cannibals, they had almost made it past them when Ed stepped on a twig. The twig broke which alerted the cannibals, they ran towards Marcus and Ed. "Listen asshole! We don't want no trouble!" Ed shouted. His words didn't affect the people, who were now running towards the pair. Marcus swung his branch at one of them bashing their head in, Ed swept one of their legs and got on top of him. Ed bashed the cannibal's head against a stump killing him, he and Marcus went to work on the other two. Marcus picked one up to do a suplex, he then threw the cannibal down hitting his head on the ground hard. When the psychopaths were taken care of the two men ran up to the ranger station.

The parking lot of the ranger station was empty, no cars were in sight and bodies lay scattered all over the area. Marcus gagged at the smell of rotting flesh, Ed smelled it too. They walked through the parking lot and up the ramp, they stopped when they heard a voice talking. "Help me move this stuff against the wall, we gotta make space for the wounded. Wendell check around for medical supplies, we're gonna need em." The voice said. Marcus opened and door and walked in, Ed followed behind him. There were four people inside, one was an older man who looked to be in his late forties, the other three were in their thirties. Two of the survivors were hurt, one man and one woman. Marcus looked at the older man, the older man looked back at Marcus with welcoming eyes. "Welcome to our base, nice to see that there's people up here that survived." The man told Marcus. "Yeah, barely. I'm Marcus and this is Ed." Marcus replied. "Thomas Ritter, nice to meet you boys." Thomas said shaking Marcus' hand. "Can anybody tell me what the hell is going on?" Marcus asked. "What's going on is there's more up here than I expected, we need to sweep the rest of the cabins for survivors." Thomas replied. "Don't worry we'll do it." Marcus told Thomas. "We will!?" Ed asked in a scared and confused tone. "Thanks boys, there's a water tower just outside, might do some good to climb up there and have a look around first." Thomas told the boys. He pointed at a small silver locker sitting against the wall. "We got some supplies in that locker over there, take what you need and stay safe out there." Thomas told Marcus. Marcus walked to the locker, he found a bottle of ibuprofen and a bag of chips. He put the medicine and chips in his backpack and grabbed a 2x4 that laid in the locker, he stood up and looked at Ed. "Let's get moving." He told his friend.

The two men walked outside, Marcus looked the water tower and started walking towards it. "You know what worries me? They're setting up an infirmary in there. Like why aren't they sending those people to a hospital or something?" Ed asked. "I don't know man, this doesn't make sense." Marcus replied. "No kidding. What next razor wire and guard towers?" Ed asked. "That's not a bad idea actually." Marcus replied in an interested tone. "We need to make things safer around here." Marcus said as he approached the guard tower. He started climbing the guard tower, Ed followed behind him. Marcus climbed to the top and looked around, he surveyed the area and found the cabins, along with some campsites and an industrial supply store. "Okay that's about all there is to see." Marcus said before sliding down the ladders. They started walking to the campsites, Marcus approached one and walked in the tent. He knelt down at a large backpack and fumbled around in it, he found a .22 revelver and 12 bullets. Marcus emptied the contents of his small backpack into the large one and put it on his back, Ed looked at him. "What the hell? We're just gonna go looting now?" Ed asked Marcus. "Whoever used this stuff don't need it anymore, from the looks of things there's not many survivors up here." Marcus replied.


	2. Chapter 2: Scavenge, Search, and Rescue

Chapter 2: Scavenge, Search, and Rescue

Marcus and Ed scavenged all the nearby campsites, Ed found a large backpack and put it on. He and Marcus stuffed the backpacks with all the food and medicine they could find, Ed found a machete and looked at it lustfully, it was brand new and looked expensive. "I bet I can take down those psychos real easy with this." He told Marcus. Marcus shook his head and walked out of the tent, the two walked over to the cabins. They entered the first one which had three psychos in it, they ran at the two men who put them down with ease. Marcus bashed one's head in with his board, and Ed chopped off one's head. They then took down the third one, after that Marcus and Ed scavenged the luggage that lay on the floor. Ed found a .22 rifle with 10 bullets, he loaded the gun and cocked it. "So much for our annual fishing trip." Ed told Marcus. "Yeah." Marcus replied somberly. "So what next year camping at Crystal Lake?" Ed asked sarcastically. Marcus ignored his comments as they walked to the next cabin. They found it empty and picked clean, Marcus just shut the door and walked off the porch. "Today went downhill fast." Marcus told Ed. "I know, any chance we can just hole up in a cabin with the rest of the tequila till this all blows over?" Marcus asked. "Somehow I doubt it." Marcus replied. "Yeah me too." Ex uttered.

From a distance they heard a noise, they looked up and across the camp. "You hear that?" Marcus asked. "Yeah gunshots, somebody might still be alive up here." Ed replied. The two men started running towards the sound, they passed up the ranger station and kept going. The gunshots were getting closer, Marcus pinpointed the sound to a stream down the hill. They quickly sprinted down the hill towards the source of the sound, Marcus and Ed jumped over the hill and landed. "Colten? Strant?" They heard a voice shout. They spotted a woman who looked to be around 25 wearing a yellow jacket, yoga pants, and boots holding a rifle shooting off a hoard of those things. Marcus and Ed joined in, the three of them started shooting at the psychos. After they were all down the woman looked at them, her hair was black and in a ponytail and she looked to be of Hispanic descent. "Thanks." She told them. Marcus was taken back by her looks, she was a pretty woman. "No problem, I'm Marcus. This is Ed." He replied. "Maya." She told them. "Are you alright Maya?" Ed asked. "Aside from getting attacked by psychopaths and watching mu two best friends die? Yeah I'm peachy." Maya replied in an aggressive and sarcastic manner. "Sorry I asked." Ed said. "So is it this bad everywhere?" Maya asked. "Man I hope not, we got some survivors at the ranger station that seem to know what's going on. But we didn't have time for orientation." Marcus replied. "Well let's get the hell back there." Maya told Marcus. "Do you want to take point or should I? She asked him seeing his leadership skill.

Marcus led the two up the hill and back to the ranger station, they worked their way through the woods. "What the hell are you doing up here anyway?" Marcus asked Maya. "Me and a couple guys from my unit come up here to do some deer hunting." Maya replied. "You're in the army?" Ed asked. "You don't miss much do you? Anyway we were on our way back when those psychos rushed us out of nowhere." Maya told them. "What happened?" Marcus asked. "You see me? You see Colten or Strant? You do the math." Maya replied. Marcus turned around and looked at her angrily, she then knew at that moment Marcus was noty the type to get smart with. They continued into the parking lot, the trio approached the ranger station and Marcus opened the door. Everyone was dead, most of them looked like they were torn apart except for Thomas. "What the hell?" Marcus asked in a confused tone. "I thought you had survivors holed up here?" Maya asked. "They were fine just a second ago." Marcus replied. "Well obviously not anymore." Maya replied in a sarcastic aggressive tone. Marcus took off his belt and walked towards Maya who started backing away in a scared manner. "Hey Marcus cool it, somebody might have survived." Ed told Marcus. Marcus put his belt back on and watched as Ed checked Thomas's corpse for a pulse. "No he's dead…." Ed told the other two. "Yeah." Marcus simply said. "Well let's see if he's got a wallet on him or something." Ed told Marcus. "What the hell Ed?" Marcus asked in a shocked and disgusted tone. "To check his ID for Pete's sake." Ed replied defensively.

Just then Thomas's corpse came to life, it had the same look about him as the rest of the psychopaths. It pounced on Ed pinning him down, Thomas then bit into Ed's neck. Ed screamed in pain, he finally found the words to speak. "Get it off, get it off, get it off!" Ed shouted. Marcus sprang into action, he took his 2x4 and smashed Thomas's head in. He and Maya helped Ed to his feet, Ed looked at Thomas's corpse then back at the duo. "He was dead, I swear that guy was dead! How the hell does that happen?" Ed asked in a scared tone. "I don't know man, it doesn't make sense." Marcus replied. "We can't stay here, come on. Let's grab what we can and head out." Maya told the men. She raided the supply locker, she put all the bullets, snacks, and pain meds she could find in there. Marcus and Ed grabbed the weapons out of there, once their backpacks were full Marcus walked outside with Maya and Ed following him. "So what are you two doing up here romantic getaway?" She asked Marcus and Ed. Marcus ignored her snide remark, he was more worried about the copious amounts of blood oozing from his best friend's neck. "Fishing trip, sort of our annual get out of the rat race and relax and drink till you puke ritual." Marcus replied. "And our get hit on by hot bait shop clerks ritual." Ed said happily. "She wasn't that hot Ed." Marcus said cynically. "Don't listen to him, he's jealous." Ed told Maya defensively. "She had a fucking mustache." Marcus said with a laugh. "It was just a little one." Ed muttered in defeat.

They left the ranger station and made it to the industrial supply store, Ed looked at the keys in his hand. They matched the logo on the back of the pickup truck parked outside the warehouse. "So what now?" Maya asked Marcus. "I don't know, I guess we head to town and try to find…somebody." Marcus replied. "Yeah or…" Ed told the group with an idea. "Or?" Maya asked. "I kinda took Tom's walkie talkie, maybe we can raise someone on it." Ed told the other two. "Jesus Ed, why'd you do that?" Marcus asked Ed frustratingly. "I don't know, I figured if he had a radio there must be someone on the other end." Ed replied m "So you robbed a dead guy, and you expect his friends to help us out?" Maya asked. "Who said they're his friend, who knows they might have hated the guy." Ed replied. "Dad." A woman's voice sounded through the radio. "Oh shit." Ed said regretfully. "Dad is that you?" The voice said. "Hello?" Ed asked taking the walkie talkie from Ed's hand. "Who are you? How did you find this channel?" The voice asked. "Listen we're here on Mt Tanner, my friend's hurt and needs medical attention. Can you help us?" Marcus asked her. "Can you make it to Spencer's Mill? I got a group of survivors at the church, if your friend doesn't look too dicey we'll let you in." The voice replied. "The church in Spencer's Mill. You got it, we'll try not to look too dicey." Marcus told her. Ed gave Marcus the keys to the truck, Marcus got behind the wheel and Maya got in the passenger side, Ed jumped in the bed. Marcus started the truck and left the warehouse, they drove down the road and to the bridge.


	3. Chapter 3: New Friends

Chapter 3: New Friends

Marcus, Maya, and Ed stood there looking at the broken bridge standing in front of them, Ed was holding his wounded neck while Marcus and Maya surveyed the damage. "What now?" Ed asked. "Well there's no way across this way, there looks like a trail over there. Let's see if we can find an alternative way across." Marcus replied. They all got back in the truck and Marcus drove down the trail, they crossed stream and drove along the bank. Marcus stopped at some cliffs that looked climbable, the trio got out of the truck. "I don't know, looks like we can climb over here maybe." Ed told Marcus. Marcus climbed the first tier and knelt down, Maya hoist3d Ed up and Marcus pulled him the rest of the way. Marcus then helped Maya up the tier, they did this for the next three tiers until they reached the top. Marcus spotted a station wagon parked on the side of the road, he reached into his backpack and grabbed the walkie talkie. "We're headed your way," He said as they walked to the station wagon. They got inside, Maya rode shotgun and Ed got in the back. "You said you're holed up on a church? What the hell is going on here?" He asked . "You haven't heard?" The woman asked in response through the speaker. "No cell reception at the lake. Guess you can say we been out of the loop." Marcus replied as he drove down the road. "All we know is a bunch of crazy people tried to eat us!" Ed yelled into the walkie talkie. "It started about 12 days ago, random maulings, violent indecents at hospitals, black helicopters in the sky. Strange stuff, at first they tried to keep it quiet. Told us to stay inside and lock the doors, but that didn't last too long. People figured it out pretty quick. The people who die they don't stay dead, they cone back as one of those things." She told them.

Maya and Ed's eyes widened hearing this, "I told you that guy was dead." Ed told Marcus. "It seems the only way to stop them is a shot to the brain, anyway else and they keep coming." She explained through the radio. "So you're saying those things are…zombies?" Ed asked in a scared tone. "I don't know, maybe it's a new super virus, or black magic, or the wrath of almighty freaking God. You're guess is as good as mine." She replied. "Wait a minute, what's the government's response to all this? Haven't they sent the National Guard or something?" Marcus asked. "The government? You don't get it. It's total chaos. At first they told us to stay inside, gi home lock our doors and wait for the all clear. Then the power died…no-one ever sounded the all clear." She told them. Marcus kept driving, he passed up some infested cabins and warehouses on the way. Maya looked at the zombies that were walking around looking for food, Ed was scared of the situation. They stopped when Marcus spotted a red crew cab pickup truck, he got out of the car and got in the truck. Maya and Ed got in too, Marcus found the keys still in the ignition. "So how did you end up in this frequency?" The voice asked them. "Just lucky I guess, it was pretty chaotic up at the lake." Marcus replied. "You're not going to tell her?" Ed asked Marcus. "I don't know yet." Marcus replied. "Dude it's her dad!" Ed said in a concerned tone. "You want to confess that we killed her father and took his shit before they patch you up?" Maya told Ed. "Okay, maybe we leave that part out." Ed said defeated.

Marcus drove into Spencer's Mill, he turned a left and went straight. He saw a sign which read "Church of The Ascension." Marcus drove on the short dirt path that led to the church, he parked in front of the gate and got out. A man who looked like a park ranger approached the gate from inside, he carried a rifle in his hands and wore a ranger hat. "Lily, you invite these strangers?" He asked. Lily approached the gate, she wore a pink hoodie, skin tight jeans, and boots. "Good you made it." She told Marcus. Her voice matched the one on the radio, Ed saw her and bis heart skipped a beat, he thought she was gorgeous. " That one doesn't look so good." The ranger said pointing at Ed. "Name's Ed pleased to meet you." Ed said grunting from his wound. The pastor opened the gate and approached Ed, he had a welcoming aura to him. "Come on in son, we'll see to those wounds." He told Ed leading him inside. "Goddammit, we got enough problems without bringing another freeloader to use all our medicine!" The ranger yelled. Lily took offense to his remarks, she was diagnosed with Lupus at age 9 and required medicine to survive. "Real nice Alan!" She yelled. "I offered them shelter, I'M letting them in. Us freeloaders have to stick together." She said looking at Ed warmly. Alan shook his head and sighed. "Girl's got the common sense God gave a tree stump. You're worse than your brother." Alan told Lily. Marcus and Maya walked through the gate, they followed Lily inside the church. "Come on in, I'll give you the nickel tour." She told them.

Maya and Marcus spotted the supply locker straight away, Marcus handed Maya her backpack and motioned her toward the locker. Maya emptied their backpacks into the locker while Lily and Marcus talked. "I spend most of my time here, using the radio to coordinate everyone." Lily said pointing to the table with a CB on it. Lily continued on through the church with Marcus following het, Maya put the empty backpacks in the locker and followed Marcus and Lily. "Here's the kitchen." Lily said stopping inside the church kitchen. "Sam's our unofficial in house chef, but there's only so much we can do with canned food and pork rinds." She said jokingly. "Seriously though, all the food stays in here and stays sealed, you'd be surprised how fast rats get into things otherwise. We learned that the hard way." Lily sais walking into the pastor's quarters. "Sleeping quarters, hope you don't mind sharing, we're pretty tight on space." Lily told Marcus. "How many people do you have here?" Marcus asked Lily. "I think you met just about all of us, except my brother and my dad." Lily replied. Marcus got nervous when she mentioned her dad, he kept silent and let her talk. "They're out scouting for supplies….I think. It haven't heard from them in awhile." Lily continued.

The three walked outside, Marcus could hear Pastor Will talking to Ed. "Rest easy son, how do you feel?" He asked Ed. "Like someone took a weed whacker to my fucking neck." Ed replied. "We may have something here for the pain, but I'm more concerned about this fever. Could be a sign of infection, I'll try to get the doctor here as soon as possible." Will told Ed. "Thanks, I uh. I appreciate the hospitality." Ed replied. Lily and Marcus walked past the medical area, Maya stopped and checked on Ed. "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels." Pastor Will told Ed. "How about that? I might be an angel." Ed replied calmly. Lily got to the gate and stopped, Marcus stopped too and they faced each other. "Look I didn't wanna say this in front of your cute friend there. But fever is a bad sign, especially after a bite. While bites won't turn you they can still get infected and kill you. Pastor Will is gonna try to get Doc Hanson over here, but without antibiotics he might not make it. If it comes to that I promise Alan will take care of it, bullet to the brain before he turns…it's for the best." Lily explained to him. "Jesus Lily, he's not a rabid dog! And if that Barney Fyfe acting motherfucker even attempts to shoot Ed I'll kill him where he stands!" Marcus said defensively. "Don't you get it? More of us didn't make it then did, we can't be soft hearted about this…not anymore. We need medicine here anyway. You can't be sick, understand no-one can be sick." Lily replied as she started walking towards the church.

Marcus shook his head and followed her, they walked towards the church entrance. "So that's it huh? Nice to meet you. Would you prefer to be shot in the face or kicked out on your asses?" Marcus asked in an angry sarcastic tone. "Not it's not that it's we're barely hanging on here as it is. Medicine was some of the first stuff to run out, we don't have any to spare for your friend…I'm sorry." Lily replied sympathetically. "What if I find more? Will that help "Pay our rent"?" Marcus asked. Lily sighed and looked at Marcus, she didn't feel right kicking them out so she caved. "Sure, if you can find some medicine, I'll make sure your friend has a place to stay." She replied. "His name is Ed." Marcus told her. "Believe me I know." Lily replied. "Just hurry alright, I'm not sure how long I can reign Alan in." Lily told Marcus. "Thank you." Marcus replied. "If you need to re stock check the locker, if you're not using anything put it in the locker." Lily told Marcus. Sam was standing next to Lily, she looked at Marcus. "Nobody minds if you're getting shit done and need some extra stuff, just don't take shit you haven't earned." She told Marcus. Lily walked to the radio and sat down, Sam walked into the kitchen, Marcus stocked up on pain meds, a few bullets, and some snacks before he headed out.


	4. Chapter 4: The Vet's Office

Chapter 4: The Vet's office

Marcus got out of the truck behind the Swine and Bovine restaurant, he climbed over a fence to the cell tower. He scaled the tower and reached the top, he started looking around the town surveying the area. He spotted a number of houses, a few sheds, some vehicles and zombies. He saw survivors walking around one of the houses, he finally saw it. A vet's office, he got on his radio and raised Lily. "What's that it looks like a vet's office or something." He spoke into the radio. "Yeah Dr. Hillerman's clinic. What about it?" She asked Marcus. "Antibiotics for dogs isn't any different than antibiotics for people, it might be a place to get some medicine for Ed." He replied. "Hmm might be worth checking out." She told him. Marcus slid down the ladders and got back in his truck, be started the ignition when Lily spoke to the radio. "I got a transmission coming in, I think." She said. "You folks look like you know what you're doing. Got room for us?" The voice asked. "Yeah, tell me where you're at." Marcus replied. "At the small house next to the mechanic garage." The voice told Marcus. Marcus drove across the street to the house, he got out of his truck and walked inside. There were three survivors, two men, one woman. The leader Sam Marshall approached Marcus. "I don't know how much longer we'll last on our own, got any room for us? He asked Marcus. "Yeah, we need a few new hands." Marcus replied.

Sam Marshall, Sandra Outlaw, and Peyton Rassle started packing up their resources. Sam was a veteran Marine, at 18 he enlisted and was shipped to Kuwait just after boot camp to fight in Desert Storm, he was awarded several medals including the purple heart before he was honorably discharged. He came back home and became a deputy for the Trumball County Sheriff's Office, he saw a lot of sheriffs come and go in his tenor as a policeman. Nobody more humble and respectable than Carl Parsons, Carl was a machinist in Marshall, he went to the academy and became a deputy. A year later ge ran for sheriff and won, Sam had a lot of respect for Sheriff Parsons. Sandra Outlaw was a nurse at a hospital in Danforth, she was born in Spencer's Mill and come back home on vacation seeing her parents. She had left Trumball Valley at 19 to go to college, where she took a course in computer tech, after three months in her course she changed her major and took medicine instead. Her intelligence was good enough to be a doctor and she aced the MCATS with flying colors, but she didn't want to go to medical school for seven years so she took nursing. Peyton Rassle was a backwoods mechanic, he been around motors all his life being raised by his dad to be a top notch mechanic. He owned his own garage in Spencer's Mill, and did a construction business on the side.

The three were packed and ready to go, they followed Marcus outside and in the truck. Marcus drove through the zombie run streets of Spencer's Mill, he drove up the dirt path to the church parking lot and dropped the survivors off. They got out of the truck and walked inside the gate, Marcus put the truck in reverse and left out of there. "Do me a favor and don't come driving up like a dumbass." Alan's voice spoke through the radio. "What Alan's trying to say it cars made noise, zeds like noise. Plus they don't exactly grow on trees, and we only got so much fuel to keep 'em running. So we gotta be careful about when we use em." Sam Hoffman told Marcus. Marcus drove to the house where he just picked up the survivors and parked, he got out of the car and ran down the street. He met Alan and Sam outside the vet's office, Alan in his usual fashion was an asshole. "It's about time you showed up, let's do this and get it over with. You're the newbie so you get to bust in the window." He told Marcus. "The door will make less noise, or you can do it like a total fuckin idiot. Up to you." Sam told Alan. "Just get is inside." Alan told Marcus. Sam handed Marcus a improvised suppressor, it was a cheap nigger rigged device made out of an empty oil can. Marcus attached it to his rifle and walked to the door, he kicked the door in and walked inside. Sam and Alan followed behind him, Marcus shut the door and locked it when they were inside. "Let's do this quickly people, try to keep the zombies outside." Alan told the other two. "And who the hell put you in charge?" Sam asked sarcastically. "How about two yeard on the beat, huh. How's that grab you?" Alan replied. "I didn't know the Department of Fish and Wildlife counted as a beat." Sam told him again sarcastically. "Laugh if you want, I'm still the only law enforcement officer left in this town." Alan replied. "Yeah and we have to deal with any zombie trout, you'll be the first motherfucker I call." Sam told him.

The three scavenged the vet's office, Marcus kept an eye out for zombies. As Alan and Sam filled their rucksacks Marcus searched the building, he noticed zombies trying to cone through the window. "Ah motherfucking piece of shit." Sam said frustratingly. "What is it?" Alan asked. "A hole in my fucking rucksack." Sam replied. "So tape it shut and keep loading." Alan said apathetically. Marcus found a crowbar laying on the floor, he picked it up and prepared for the zombies. They climbed through the window, Marcus jabbed the end of the crowbar through one of their heads. The zombie fell backwards out the window, he then took care of the other zombies trying to cone in. Alan and Sam had finished scavenging, the three finished off the zombies and walked out the door. "Let's hoof it people, stay low, stay quiet. Bad enough we have to make this charity run, let's not waste all our damn ammo to boot." Alan told the other two. They started running down the street, Marcus spotted a horde walking towards them. The three jumped over the guard rail into the bushes, Sam looked at the horde. "Try to keep out of their line of sight, zeds will check out anything louder than a solid smack on the head. But their eyesight's for shit, if they can't see you they can't eat you." Sam told Marcus. "Will you two shut up and keep moving, I'm not getting paid to babysit." Alan told Sam. "Excuse me all to hell for trying to keep the newbie alive." Sam replied.

They snuck past the horde and back into town, they made it past the auto mechanic's garage when Sam stopped. "Ah fuck!" Sam shouted. "What's wrong?" Alan asked. "This piece of shit rucksack is coming apart at the seams, at this rate I'll lose half the shit before I get it home." Sam replied. "I'll go find us a ride." Marcus told Sam. "No goddammit cars are too dangerous, just leave it." Alan told Sam. "Kiss my ass Alan, Lily needs these meds!" Sam replied "Fuck you." Alan told Sam before running off. "Get your ass back here Alan! Alan!" She shouted at Alan. "Goddammit, come on Let's find a ride and get this shit home." She told Marcus. Marcus walked to his truck which was parked right next to them, he got in the driver's seat and Sam got up front in the passenger seat. Marcus started the truck and drove down the street, he turned a left and drove straight. "So Alan huh?" He asked her. "Yes, he's a shithead but look at it this way. He's only about half as stupid as he looks, plus he's not half bad in a fight." Sam told Marcus. They drove by Alan as he was killing zombies left and right, Marcus made a left and then a right. He turned right down the dirt path to the church, he and Sam pulled up to the church gate. "Thanks, I got it from here." Sam told Marcus.

Inside the base, Maya was with Sandra and Pastor will checking on Ed. Sam and Marcus walked in the church with their rucksacks, Alan walked in a minute later unharmed. "We got your cyclophophosamide Lily, I didn't see any of that metho-whatever." Sam told Lily. "Hey, I thought we were getting antibiotics for Ed." Marcus said surprisingly. "Relax we got those two." Sam replied. "What the hell is going on?" Marcus asked Lily. "Look I got this condition, Lupus. It's chronic, no cure, without medication,…I needed medicine, Ed needed antibiotics. So I sent you to a place you might find both." Lily replied. "So you used me?" Marcus asked. "I didn't—" Lily tried to say before Marcus cut her off. "Just let me know when you find the doctor." Marcus told Lily before walking away. Lily sighed and walked outside, she walked over to the infirmary to check on Ed, "Hey, how you feeling?" She asked him. "I'm in pain and a little dizzy, did you find the doctor yet?" He asked her. "No not yet, just rest easy. Marcus and Sam got you some medicine, here take some antibiotics." Lily told Ed handing him a pill. Ed took the pill and grabbed a glass of water sitting next to him, he drunk the water to swallow the pill. He looked at Lily and smiled, she sat next to him and grabbed his hand. "Thanks gorgeous." Ed told her in a weak tone. Lily blushed and squeezed his hand gently, Marcus and Maya looked at the two the, at each other. They smiled at the sight, then Maya and Marcus grabbed each other's hand and watched Ed some more.


	5. Chapter 5: Emergency Broadcast

Chapter 5: Emergency Broadcast

Running through the streets of Marshal, Amy Young ducked into an abandoned office building. She wore a white tank and black skin tight leather pants, and black lace up boots. She watched as the horde of zombies along with two screamers and a feral ran past the office building. Amy breathed a sigh of relief and slumped down behind a desk, she crawled under the desk and sat in the fetal position. She recalled the events of what brought her to this point, her friends out camping in the fields outside Marshal, her loving boyfriend Matt, her dog Kip. She felt a tear roll down her cheek as she recalled their demise, she stood up and checked outside the window. The streets of Marshal was clear, she scavenged the building looking for food and other perishables. She found a bag of peanuts and a can of soup, she got back under the desk and opened the can of soup with a Swiss army knife she found at one of the camps she scavenged. Amy put the peanuts in the can of tomato soup, and stirred it up with a spoon from her backpack. Amy took a bit of the soup, it tasted awful, she looked on the can and it was dated to go bad in 2001. Desperate she kept eating it, after the can wad empty she threw the empty can lightly on the ground. Amy slumped down and got back in the fetal position, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

 _Two weeks earlier_

 _Amy grabbed ahold of the vine on the large cliff, she swung out to the middle of the lake and let go. She landed in the water doing a perfect cannonball, the cold water felt good against the warm air. She and her friends swam in the lake splashing water at each other and acted like they were going to drown one another. Her boyfriend Matt Miller looked into the eyes of his beautiful girlfriend, they locked into a deep passionate kiss as they floated in the lake. "Ooohhh!" Derek, the group clown, exclaimed. Matt splashed water playfully at his best friend, Amy laughed at the horseplay. Madison Miller, Matt's younger sister and Amy's best friend, swam to Amy. "Told you you'd have fun dork." She said lightly slapping Amy on the back, they smiled at each other. Dan Marshal the group badass and outdoorsman was setting up camp on the shore side, he had the tents pitched and the fire ready. He and Ian, the group nerd and gay guy, was now hunting for some food. Dan clutched the hunting rifle in his hand as he snuck through the woods. "Now." Dan whispered. "The trick to hunting is stealth, you make too much noise you'll scare the deer away." Dan whispered to Ian. "Oh my god, this is boring. Why'd you talk me into this?" Ian asked. "Because we gotta toughen you up, now quiet and listen." Dan whispered calmly. He and Ian have been best friends since they were kids, they were like brothers. When Ian first come out to Dan, he was more than accepting of his friend's choice. "See that?" Dan said as they come to a clearing. They spotted a doe drinking from the stream, Dan aimed his rifle at the deer. "Nice and quiet, don't wanna spook em." Dan told Ian. Dan aimed his rifle, he positioned himself and took a stance, he squeezed the trigger. (Blam!)_

 _At the campfire, the group was all sitting around the fire watching their venison cook. Dan was cooking the meal as the rest of the group laughed, joked, and drank. Matt, who was in a flannel shirt, jeans, and boots, had his hand around Amy. Amy was on a yellow blouse and a blue ruffled miniskirt. Madison and Derek were passing a bottle of Fireball around flirting with each other, Ian got out of the tent wearing a pair of booty shorts and a white tank, he was a feminine build with no body hair and legs like a girl. Dan poured some beer on the meat as it cooked on the fire, he then took a drink of beer and sat on a log. "This is gonna be some good eating." He said before turning on the battery powered radio sitting beside him. "All Summer Long" by Kid Rock played, Amy and Matt got up and started dancing. Madison and Derek started making out. Ian looked at his bare feet lonely. Dan reached into the cooler and grabbed a cherry wine cooler and threw it to Ian. "Here, loosen up dude." He told Ian. "Thanks man." Ian replied opening the wine cooler and taking a drink._

 _As Kid Rock got to the verse "Nothing seems as strange as the leaves begin to change." The music stopped for an emergency broadcast system. "Attention, this is an emergency broadcast alert. Go into your homes and lock your doors, killers are on the loose eating people. Do not attempt to interact with them, barricade yourselves inside and wait for the all clear. That is all!" the broadcast ended, but the music didn't resume all that was on the radio was static. Amy was worried about the broadcast, she and Matt clutched each other's hand. "Whatever." Dan said standing up. He walked to his tent and grabbed his .38 revolver, he checked to make sure it was loaded. "I'm armed to the teeth, anybody comes around wanting trouble I'll blast em" Dan said in a cocky tone. "I don't know, this sounded serious. Something must be going on. The radio station is out of whack." Matt replied. "Don't worry, I got some CD's." Madison said grabbing her CD case. She pulled out her Florida Georgia Line CD and put it in the CD player of the radio, she turned it to "Cruise" and sat back down. "This is my jam!" She said lighting a joint. Madison took a big bit and passed the joint to Derek, the group passed the joint around the campfire, when the food was done they ate like pigs._

 _Later on that night, the group was getting their freak on, Amy and Matt were in one tent, Maddy and Derek in another. Dan was still sitting by the campfire next to Ian, they were both drunk. Dan was starting to see double, he looked at his best friend's girlish legs and caught a stiffy. Ian blushed at Dan staring at him, he had a crush on Dan but never imagined they'd end up together. "Hey, come sit closer man have a beer with me." Dan said. Ian stood up and sat next to his friend, he crossed his legs and looked at Dan. "You're looking real good tonight." Dan told Ian. "Thanks….umm….you too." Ian replied. "You know you're pretty sexy, for a guy." Dan said almost slurring. "You're just drunk." Ian said shyly. "No, I mean it. Gimme some sugar." Dan told Ian before pulling him in a kiss. Dan rubbed Ian's thigh as they made out, he reached under Ian's hem of his shorts to feel up his butt. Ian unzipped Dan's pants and slid them down revealing his erect 8 inch member. Ian took off his booty shorts to reveal he wasn't wearing underwear, he got on top of Dan and started riding._

 _A noise interrupted the love making, it sounded like a twig snapping. Ian got off Dan and put his clothes back on, Dan pulled up and buttoned his pants before grabbing his gun. A decayed looking woman quickly approached the canp, she was visible by the fire. Dan aimed his gun at her chest and pulled the trigger. The bullet went through the woman's chest but it didn't have any effect. Dan was stunned but shot again in the heart once more. The shot didn't kill the woman, she charged at Dan knocking him down. She immediately started eating Dan, he tried to fight her off but she was strong. Ian grabbed the revolver and aimed at her head, he pulled the trigger but the power of the gun was too much for him. The revolver jumped back hitting Ian in the nose breaking it, Ian screamed and stumbled back clutching his bleeding nose. An aggressive zombie with unmatched strength and speed grabbed Ian from behind, tearing him in two. Dan finally got free of the zombie before taking his knife out of his boot and stabbing the woman in the head. She finally went down from the blow to the head, he grabbed his rifle laying by his tent and aimed at the feral._

 _The feral charged at him, Dan used the butt of the rifle to knock it back. He then aimed and pulled the trigger. The shot blew the feral's head into a hundred pieces and the body fell dead. The rest of the group by this point had witnessed the events and the girls were crying in terror. Dan turned around and looked at them. "So you know I didn't kill him, come on. Get to the truck, we gotta get outta here." Dan told them. "What about Ian and the campsite?" Maddy asked. "Leave it, we gotta bolt!" Dan shouted before running to his tent, he grabbed all hos guns and ammo before handing them out to the group. "We all gotta be armed, these things ain't like us. I shot one in the heart twice and she still survived." Dan told them. They ran to the truck and got in, Amy and Matt got in the back with Maddy, and Derek rode shotgun with Dan. He started the truck and left the campsite, leaving behind Ian's corpse and the campsite. Dan drove through Trumball Valley, before ending up outside Marshall._

Amy woke up out of her sleep, she heard a noise like something trying to get in. She looked up from her desk as the door was forces open, she saw a bald zombie with no arms or a lower jaw. She breathed a sigh of relief as she thought it wasn't a threat. She decided the coast was clear and walked to the entrance past the zombie, the zombie looked at her as she got closer. It looked up and screamed like a banshee, it was the loudest scream she ever heard in her life. Amy covered her ears and backed up, the scream broke the windows. She backed up away from the screamer, her eyes widened as a large horde of zombies swarmed through the building. Amy noticed a backdoor and tried to run for it, the door was jammed shut and she frantically tried pushing it open as the swarm charged at her. She finally opened the door and ran into the alleyway, she saw a fire escape behind the office and hurried to it. Amy climbed the fire escape and reached the roof of the building, she once again breathed a sigh of relief. Amy looked down at downtown Marshal, the city was in ruins and swarming with zombies.


	6. Chapter 6: Bonfires and Army Sightings

Chapter 6: Bonfires and Army Sightings

Maya and Marcus walked out of the tent, Maya was pulling her pants up and Marcus was zipping his. They walked hand in hand to the infirmary where Lily and Ed were laughing and talking, Ed looked up in his daze at the couple. "Hey Marcus, man this Lily chick is cool as hell." Ed told Marcus in his fevered and drugged up daze. "I bet you think so." Maya told Ed with a smile. Sam Hoffman had built a fire, she approached the infirmary and walked up to Marcus, Maya, and Lily. "Hey lovebirds, I built a fire. Come sit around and we'll chill awhile." She told the group. Marcus, Maya, Lily, and the injured Ed walked to the campfire, Lily had her right arm around Ed's shoulder and his left arm around her waist. They walked to the fire and sat sown, Sam had grabbed a bottle of whiskey out of her backpack and opened it, she took a big gulp and handed it to Marcus. Marcus and Maya took a drink and handed it to Ed, he took a swig and offered it to Lily. "No thanks, it interferes with my medicine." She told Ed. Sam smiled and pulled a big fat joint out of her pocket, Marcus smiled and grabbed it. "That's the kind of shit I like to see!" He exclaimed before lighting it up.

Marcus hit the joint and held the smoke in, he hadn't smoked weed since college, back then he was a huge stoner along with Ed. He passed the joint to Maya and she hit it, she then passed it to Ed, Ed hit it and passed it to Lily, she looked at the group knowing peer pressure. Lily hit the joint and coughed, she passed it to Sam who took a large hit. Lily sat back in her lawn chair, she was in euphoria from the weed. The group passed the joint around the fire, they felt relaxed, forgetting for just a moment that the end of the world was around them. Sam put out the roach from the joint they just smoked, she and the group sipped on the whiskey as they told stories. Sam sat on her chair and looked at the group, she was telling a story about how she got arrested for the first time. "So there I was in the middle of this old lady's house, pockets loaded with stuff, carrying her microwave. Me not knowing someone was in the house and had called the cops. When I sneak outside a cop was waiting for me, he aimed his gun at me and said "Drop the microwave!" I looked at him and said "If I drop this microwave, you got me for B&E and destruction of property." Sam said laughing. The group laughed with her, Lily and Ed held hands as they enjoyed their night.

The next morning the group felt the hangover, except for Lily who didn't drink, and Alan who wasn't invited to the fire. Marcus and Maya scrounged around the supply locker for some aspirin, but there wasn't any to be found. "Ugh, I'll have to scavenge for some more meds." Marcus said. "I'll go with you." Maya added in. Ed was sleeping it off in the infirmary, Lily was at the radio. Sam was feeling good, she used weed to cure her hangover that she was bogarting from Marcus and Maya. She was in the kitchen cooking breakfast, Pastor Will was helping her. Marcus grabbed a 9mm pistol and a suppressor from the supply locker, Maya just grabbed a suppressor. They walked out of the church and out the gate, Marcus got behind the wheel and Maya rode shotgun. He started the truck and drove off. He drove through Spencer's Mill, Maya kept a lookout for zombies.

Lily's voice raised through the radio "Alan just told me the army trompered a bunch of people into Spencer's Mill," She told them. "You think it's an evac route?" Marcus asked. "I don't know, I haven't heard anything about it." Lily replied. "Alright, sounds like it's worth checking out." Marcus said. "Might wanna send someone with military experience. I don't know, maybe they'd respond better." Lily told Marcus. "I got this." Maya replied. Marcus drove to the other side of Spencer's Mill where the army were clearing a house, he parked the truck and looked at Maya. "You need an escort?" He asked her. "No I got it, wait here." Maya replied before getting out of the truck. She walked over to the Sgt who clutched an M16 assault rifle, "Corporeal Torres." He said, "Sgt Tan." She replied. "What's it been? Three years?" He asked. "Two, Afghanistan." She replied. "Right. Can't say I'm surprised to see you breaking orders." He said. "I gotta say I'm surprised to see you standing here with your thumb up your ass while people are dying all around you." Maya retorted. "You don't have to like orders to follow them." Tan replied. "So what are you doing here?" She asked. "Cas evac isn't the mission, isolate, contain, identify. Until we figure out what's causing this chuckle fuck you're all potential carriers. Any chance of going home and locking your doors?" Tan asked. "Probably not." Maya replied. "Then I guess I didn't see you out here. You better get going, captain gets real angry when someone contaminates her scene." Tan told Maya. Maya turned around and got back in the truck, she looked at Marcus and they drove off. "So when are they coming to get us?" Lily asked. "They're not, we're on our own." Maya replied. "What?" Lily asked in a worried voice. "Fuck em, we survived this long. We'll keep surviving." Maya replied. She and Marcus continued scavenging in Spencer's Mill.


	7. Chapter 7: A Little Help

Chapter 7: A Little Help

Jacob Ritter and Eli Wilkerson ran through the fields of farmland trying to escape the zombie horde, Eli spotted a barn with a ladder going to the roof. "There! Climb!" He shouted running to the ladder. Jacob was out of breath from running, he and his boyfriend Eli were meeting in secret outside Spencer's Mill when they got rushed. Jacob followed Eli up the ladder, they reached the top. The roof was steep and Jacob barely kept his balance, he looked down at the hungry zombies who were trying to get up the ladder. "There must be thirty of them." Jacob said. "We knew the risk when we met, these things are everywhere." Eli replied. Jacob tried to advance on the roof where Eli was but lost his footing, he slipped off the roof and onto the ground. He busted his leg in the landing, Jacob screamed in pain. Eli climbed down the ladder, he grabbed Jacob and they ran to a red crew cab pickup parked by a farmhouse. Jacob grabbed the CB handle that was mounted inside the truck. "Uh…Lily. I sure hope you're at the radio sis, because I need help." Jacob said into the radio. "What happened?" Lily asked in an annoyed tone. "I kinda took a bad fall….off a roof." Jacob replied. "If it's possible, can you send someone?" Jacob asked. "(Sigh) If anyone is in the area, can you please go get my idiot brother?" Lily asked. "Thanks, we're at the Winchester Farm south of Spencer's Mill." Jacob told Lily. "I got it." Marcus's voice said through the radio.

 _Two weeks earlier_

 _Jacob got out of the driver's side of his blue sedan, he breathed the fresh country air while looking at Spencer's Mill. He had been away from his hometown at college, he was studying photography at Danforth University. He walked up the landscaping blocks hos father Thomas had put on years ago as a walkway. Thomas walked outside and greeted his son, they hugged briefly and looked at each other. "Good to see you son, come on in. Your sister is inside." Thomas told Jacob. They walked inside where Lily was sitting on the black leather couch with a purple laptop on her lap, she didn't even look up at Jacob. "Lily, your brother's here." Thomas told Lily. She didn't look away from her laptop, Thomas walked over and closed it shut. "Say hi to Jacob." Thomas told Lily. "Why? He'll just leave again." Lily replied. "Lily, that's not fair. I didn't abandon you I was at school." Jacob told her. "You too good to stay home and take care of me. Like I'm high maintenance. You showed your true colors Jacob." Lily said standing up and pointing at Jacob. "Whatever, look I'm glad to be home. But I'm gonna go out and take in the scenery." Jacob told them. Jacob turned around and walked outside, he pulled out hos flip phone and called Eli. The phone rang for a few seconds before someone picked up. "Hello?" The voice asked. "Hey, it's Jacob." Jacob replied. "Jacob?" Eli asked. "I missed you." Eli told Jacob. "I missed you too, want to get together?" Jacob asked. "Sure, I'll be down at your house to get you." Eli replied before hanging up the phone._

 _Eli pulled up in a beat up pickup truck, it looked like Thomas's but older and rustier. Jacob got in the passenger side and looked at Eli, they embraced in a passionate kiss. Eli looked at Jacob. "How was college?" He asked him. ""It was ok, nothing like home through." Jacob replied. "Let's go to Marshall, can't be near everyone. If Job or Mickey finds out we'll both be killed." Eli told Jacob. Eli put the truck in drive and started down the street, the small town was quiet and not so busy. "Nothing's changed since I've been gone." Jacob said. "Not really, folk still keeping to themselves. Makes it good for those of us with secrets." Eli replied. "Do your brothers know you're gay?" Jacob asked. "They know but they're in denial. Mickey said if he caught me with a man he'd tan my hide." Eli replied. They drove through Trumbull Valley, Jacob took in the scenery. "Still the same old Trumbull Country." Jacob said._

 _Eli drove into Marshall, he parked across from Snyder Trucking Warehouse and got out of the truck. He and Jacob took each other's hand and walked around Marshall, the townsfolk caught them holding hands and started whispering. "So much for minding their own business." Jacob said looking at the grossed out townspeople. He and Jacob continued walking, they walked into downtown Marshall. They thought theu heard gunshots in the distance, the two men shrugged it off and continued walking. As they reached the supermarket they heard screaming from inside, Jacob let go of Eli's hand and walked to the window. There were aggressive looking people with rotting flesh eating the customers, Jacob's eyes widened in horror. "We gotta get help!" Jacob shouted looking at Eli. They sprinted away from the supermarket and to the police station, they reached the police station to watch the entire Sheriff's Department fighting off more zombies. "Oh shit. Lets go now, I gotta check on Dad and Lily." Jacob told Eli. They continued sprinting through Marshall, the whispering townspeople were now fighting off hordes of undead. They reached the truck and got in, Eli started the truck and pulled out before driving out of Marshall._

 _Eli pulled in front of Jacob's driveway, they quickly pecked each other on the lips before Jacob looked at him. "Go home to your brothers, tell em what's going on. Let me know if you made it home safe." Jacob told Eli. "Sure. Bye." Eli replied. Jacob got out of the truck and ran in the house, Eli left the Ritter residence. Jacob slammed the door hurriedly, Thomas and Lily sat on the couch scared. "Something's happened in Marshall, I don't know if they're cannibals or what but Marshall is overrun." Jacob told them. "An emergency broadcast come over the radio, telling us to stay indoors and wait for the all clear." Thomas replied. "And sure enough when the shit hits the fan you are off in Marshall doing God knows what with that Wilkerson boy." Lily said angrily at Jacob. "Enough Lily!" Thomas said standing up. "We need to be united if we're going to make it." Thomas said walking towards the window. He saw his fellow townsfolk fighting the undead, he turned around. "Call Pastor Will, maybe he has space for us at the church." Thomas told Jacob. Jacob did as he was told and called Pastor Will, the phone rang three times before he got an answer. "Hello?." Pastor Will asked. "Pastor Will, it's Jacob. Listen things are going on right now of biblical proportions. Do you have any space at the church?" Jacob asked. "Yes my son, the Lord always has room for his flock." Pastor Will replied. "Great, we'll be right over." Jacob said hanging up the phone._

 _The Ritters piled into Thomas's truck and drove down the street to the church, there was another truck parked there. They walked through the gate and into the church, there were people waiting. Alan Gunderson, Sam Hoffman, Pastor Will, Liam Ferguson, Phil Hines, Victor Johnson, Conan McGavin, Bill Douglas, Samantha Stevenson, and Jim Dennison. Thomas and Jacob greeted everyone, Lily immediately went to the radio in the corner. "We're too fucking crowded in here, some of you have to go." Alan told them. "Shut up Gunderson." Conan told Alan. "Enough, if we're gonna survive here we need to come up with a strategy. Everyone has assignments based on your abilities. Sam, you worked in the soup kitchen here at the church so you're out chef, Alan I'll help you build a watchtower out front so you can keep look out, the rest of you I'll find out what you're good at and assign you tasks accordingly." Thomas told them. Jacob walked over to Lily, she was trying to raise help on the CB. "Hey sis, any luck?" He asked her. "No, everybody is on here doing the same as me." Lily replied. Jacob looked out the window at the zombies climbing the wall._

Jacob and Eli fought off the zombies in the barn, they were severely outnumbered. Jacob grabbed his walkie talkie out of his backpack. "Lily, they're starting to get closer!" He shouted. "Where are you?" Lily asked. Headlights blinded both the zombies and the men, they covered their eyes as they backed away. A gunshot killed one of the zombies, the corpse fell down dead at Eli's feet. Marcus and Maya helped them fight off the zombies, Marcus suplexed as many as he could, bashing their heads on the ground as he threw them. The four made quick work of the zombies, after they were done they met in the shed. "You're Lily's brother Jacob right? Come on, let's get you and your friend out of here." Marcus told Jacob. "No, that's okay. You just get him back to the church safe. I gotta get back to my brothers before they notice I'm gone." Eli told Marcus. "Eli, we went over this. I'm not ashamed to be seen with you." Jacob told Eli while looking at him. "It ain't about shame. You know what Job would do if he caught us together." Eli replied. "Your brother's an asshole." Jacob said nonchalantly. "He's still my brother." Eli said. Eli looked at Marcus and Maya. "Thank you for the help, get him home safe." Eli told them. "You get yourself home safe, don't do anything stupid." Jacob told Eli. "Hey, I'm young, I'm quick, and I got a big ass wrench. What could go wrong?" Eli asked Jacob before turning around and leaving.

Jacob, Marcus, and Maya got into the pick up truck and backed out of the barn. Marcus drove to the farmhouse and honked the horn, this provided a diversion for Eli to safely leave. "That should be enough, they'll be too fixated on the noise to pay much attention to Eli. As long as he doesn't get cocky." Jacob said in a somber tone. "We got him Lily, we're headed back home." Maya said into the walkir talkie. "Thank God. Now please smack him in the head for being an idiot." Lily replied. "So I haven't seen you around the church before." Jacob said. "Guess you can say we're new in town." Marcus replied. "Right, you blow into town and somebody point you to a place to stay?" Jacob asked sarcastically. Maya turned around and smacked Jacob as hard as she could on the head. "Ow! What was that for?" He asked. "You heard your sister." Maya replied. "How's your leg?" Marcus asked. "Hurts like hell but nothing is broken. Should be fine after a few days with a little bed rest, don't expect me to run around town dodging zombies until then." Jacob replied.

Marcus pulled up outside the church and parked the truck, the trio got out and entered the church grounds. When they entered the church Lily was waiting on them. "What were you thinking? You know nobody is supposed to go out there alone!" Lily shouted. "Give it a rest, you're not mom. Besides….I wasn't alone." Jacob replied. "Tell me you weren't with Eli Wilkerson again." Lily said harshly. "That's none of your—" Lily cut him off. "I don't trust him, you know what his family's like." Lily said. "Eli is NOT his family." Jacob said firmly. "Just be careful, I just got you back. I don't wanna lose you." Lily replied. "Hey have you seen dad?" She asked Jacob. "Last I talked to him he was going up to the lake to look for survivors." Jacob replied. "The lake huh?" She said looking at Marcus. "You were up at Mt Tanner the day you found us. My dad was there. You know? My dad who's been missing ever since. Anything you want to tell me?" Lily asked Marcus. "Yeah." Marcus said looking down. "I guess it's time. Your dad. He didn't make it Lily. I'm sorry." Marcus replied. "Thank you, I mean I kinda already knew, but it's good to hear it out loud." Lily said. Marcus and Maya walked outside leaving Lily alone.


	8. Chapter 8: Doc Hanson

Chapter 8: Doc Hanson

Eli laid on the bed upstairs of the old Barrett place, he had been mauled by a swarm of zombies on hos way home. Job Wilkerson, an ex con and moonshining gun runner sat at the bed staring at his younger brother. Mickey, the oldest Wilkerson brother, walked up the stairs. "How is he?" Mickey asked. "Not good, where's the doc?" Job asked in response. "He's on his way, I just raised him on the radio." Mickey replied. "Good, I'm sure he'll help Eli." Job said looking at Eli. Mickey and Job walked downstairs where their enclave was waiting, the group consisted of six members. Job, Mickey. Eli, Elmer David, Arnold Peterson, and Dan Marshall. Dan had found the Wilkersons after getting split up from Amy Young in Marshall, he wandered the fields killing zombies in his search for supplies and survivors. Job approached Dan and Arnold, who were loading their magazines with ammo for their assault rifles. They stopped loading and stood up, Job looked Dan in the eye. "Doc is on his way here, he's coming on foot so I want you to meet him halfway from his house across the way." Job told Dan. "Got it, I'm taking Arnold with me." Dan replied. "Go on then, I ain't gonna tell you twice." Job commanded Dan. Dan and Arnold locked, loaded, and headed out the door. They got in Dan's truck that he had stolen and drove off.

 _ **Two weeks earlier**_

 _Job and Mickey were out drinking at the old Barrett place while they cooked up some shine. Mickey was cleaning his rifle, and Job kept lookout for the law. "How's that mash Mickey?" Job asked his older brother. "It's getting sour, I'm gonna cook it before it goes bad." Mickey replied. They had leaned moonshining from their father, Michael Wilkerson. The boys learned at a young age how to cook, they started out delivering the hooch to the local drunks that populated Trumbull Valley. At age 12 the boys were busted by the late Sherriff Thompson, Mickey got a year and Job got eight months in separate juvenile correctional facilities. At fifteen they were full time brewers and runners of moonshine, Job started running guns as well buying them in bulk from a veteran and selling them at a discount. Eli was the proverbial white sheep, he had a legitimate job as a mechanic in Spencer's Mill. The Wilkerson brothers were feared throughout Trumbull Valley as murderers, on account of Mickey brutally dismembering a man who tried to rob him when he was 18. Mickey was the hothead and Job was the level head, the different personalities worked as Job would conduct business and Mickey was the muscle. Nobody in the county could touch them._

 _Eli pulled up on his truck, he parked at the bottom of the hill and got out. "Eli! Where the fuck have you been?" Job asked. "We gotta arm up, there's things out there raising all kinds of Hel." Eli replied. Mickey laughed, he stood up and walked to his brother. "What the hell you talkin' 'bout boy?" Mickey asked. "People are in town eating people, they look dead, rotting flesh red eyes, but they're alive!" Eli told Mickey." Ah hell boy, you're crazy." Mickey scoffed. "Oh. My. God." Job said looking over Eli at the horde of undead running up the hill. "Inside now!" Mickey yelled. The three boys ran inside and locked the door, they immediately grabbed their guns and cocked them. "Let's take these bastards out, go for the head." Job told hos brothers. They opened the door and instantly opened fire, they killed every zombie they saw until it was clear._

 **Present**

Doc Hanson looked at Eli, he shook his head in disbelief. "Can you help him Doc?" Mickey asked. "I'll do what I can, but it's not looking good." Doc replied. Mickey grabbed his whiskey and walked downstairs, he walked outside and sat on the floor of the porch drinking. He saw a truck driving up the road, he grabbed his walkie talkie and spoke into it. "Hey, who's that on the road? We don't take kindle to unexpected guests. So you can kindly fuck right off." Mickey said aggressively. The truck didn't turn around or stop, it kept coming. The truck finally stopped and Marcus got out, he walked up the hill to the house. "Where's Doc Hanson? We need to get going." Marcus told them. "Doc says Eli ain't good to move, so we ain't moving." Mickey replied before getting up. He threw the empty whiskey bottle across the yard and looked at Marcus. "Now I don't know if you've noticed, but there's a whole mess of them fuckers working their way up here." Mickey told Marcus. "That's right Mickey, so why don't we put our friend here to work." Job told Mickey. "Fine you hold his hand, I'm gonna go check on Eli." Mickey replied. He looked at Marcus and pointed. "Now it's your call on whether you want to help or be a pain in my ass. Because I'll be more than happy to nail you to a tree and use you as bait." Mickey told Marcus before turning around and going in the house.

 _ **Four hours earlier**_

 _Eli ran away from the horde of zombies that chased after him, he had just escaped the Winchester farm where he and Jacob were rescued by Marcus and Maya. He made it to the main road near the trailer court, he stopped and breathed a sigh of relief before catching his breath. Eli started walking towards his truck that sat parked by the road, he had ran out of gas and parked it earlier that morning. He walked into the trailer park where there was sure to be some fuel, he approached the work shed behind the furthest trailer in the court. Eli opened the door, where dozens of zombies along with a feral were waiting. They rushed at Eli who fought them off with his wrench, he held his own against the undead horde until the feral rushed him and lunged on top of him, he tore into Eli's chest taking a large bite. The feral picked Eli up and was about to tear him in two when a shot was fired, the feral fell dead after the bullet pierced through it's skull. Eli fell to the ground wounded, he clutched his chest in pain. Dan Marshall approached Eli, he checked his pulse to see if he was still alive. When he saw Eli was alive he grabbed his walkie talkie from his pocket. "Job, I found Eli. Feral got him, he's hurt bad, I'll bring him back." Dan told Job over the CB._

 **Present**

Marcus and Job fought through two waves of zombies that tried to enter the house, Mickey was on the balcony upstairs with a rifle fighting them at long range. They had time so they nailed boards up on the windows to keep the zombies out, as they were boarding up the windows they heard large footsteps. Mickey looked out the window to spot an eight foot tall 600 pound zombie with no shirt and overalls on. "Look at that big bastard!" Mickey exclaimed. "Hey Job, I think that's one of the Miller boys. He always was a fat fuck." Mickey said before shooting at the monster. The bullet had no effect on the juggernaut, the giant charged at the house. The impact from the hit knocked the boards off the windows, he then raised his head up and roared. Marcus grabbed a 12 gauge shotgun and some ammo out of the Wilkerson's supply locker, he loaded the shotgun and aimed. Marcus shot the beast four times in the head, it didn't kill it but it had severely weakened it. Job grabbed a crowbar laying on the floor and walked outside, he bashed the juggernaut's head five times before it finally went down. The beast's head sunk into a bloody pulp before falling on the floor of the porch. Job's eyes widened as another juggernaut approached the house, he ran inside and shut the door. "How many Miller cousins are there?" He asked Mickey. "I don't know, but I put em in the ground once. I'll do it again." Mickey replied.

It took awhile and several shots before the seconds giant went down, they boarded up the windows once more and prepared for a new wave of zombies. Two hordes along with a screamer, a feral, and an armored zombie approached the house. Mickey made himself useful and sniped any zombie he saw, Job and Marcus fought hard to keep the zombies away from the windows. The massive congregation of zombies proved to be too much and they broke through the boards and entered the house. Job and Marcus blocked the stairway, shooting and bashing heads of any zombie that got near. The feral charged at Marcus, who grabbed it on mid air and suplexed it's head onto the hardwood floor splattering it's head. Job and Marcus made quick work of the zombies afterwards, Job walked to the window and saw no more undead coming up. "Well that just about oughta do it." Job told Marcus. "Eat that you fucking pieces of shit!" Mickey shouted from the balcony. "We better check on Eli. Job told Marcus. They turned around and walked upstairs, Doc was sitting next to Eli tending to his wounds. Doc Hanson sighed and stood up, he looked at the men who gathered around Eli's bed. "Doc, what's the good word?" Mickey asked Doc. "I'm sorry boys, I done all I could, he lost too much blood." Doc replied. "No….God dammit!" Mickey shouted angrily with tears coming out of his eyes. "How long we got Doc? Before he turns?" Marcus asked. "Minutes maybe. Maybe sooner….unless." Doc replied. "No, we're gonna bury Eli, proper." Mickey told Doc. "Bury it and it'll claw it's way out, your brother's gone boy. What I'm talking about here is a kindness." Doc replied. "Where's Jacob?" Eli asked in a delirious voice before passing away. "Doc, you can't a me to do this. I promised ma I'd take care of him." Job told Doc Hanson. "I'll do it." Marcus told them. "Better do it quick, before it starts to move." Doc said before turning around.

Job and Mickey followed Doc Hanson downstairs, leaving Marcus and Eli alone. Marcus looked at Eli's corpse before pulling out his revolver, he aimed at Eli's head and cocked the hammer back. Marcus pulled the trigger shooting Eli in the head, he sighed in discontent and walked downstairs. Doc Hanson was waiting on him, they walked out the door when Marcus was stopped by Job. "We owe you, anything you need raise us on the CB." Job told Marcus. "Thanks." Marcus replied. Job patted Marcus on the left shoulder with his right hand and walked back in the house, Marcus and Doc continued down the hill. Dan and the rest of the group pulled up in a crew cab pickup like Marcus' truck, they all piled out and started unloading supplies. Marcus and Doc got in Marcus's truck and left the Barret place, Marcus grabbed the CB handle mounted to the truck and raised Lily. "I got the doc, we're headed back." Marcus told her. "Good. He's delirious from the pain pills but he appears to be ok at the moment." Lily replied. "So what happened to you friend?" Doc Hanson asked Marcus. "Up on Mt Tanner he was bitten by Lily's dad, he didn't make it." Marcus replied. "Hate to here that. Tom was a good man." Doc Hanson told Marcus. They drove to the church and got out of the truck, Doc and Marcus immediately went to the infirmary where Ed was sitting up. "The fever has went down but it still hasn't broken." Pastor Will told Doc. "You got him on antibiotics?" Doc asked. "As many as we can spare." Pastor Will replied. "Well, the good news is the wound hasn't become necrotic. I'll watch him until the fever breaks but I think your friend is gonna make it." Doc told Marcus. "Thanks Doc." Marcus said in an appreciative tone. "Do I get a lollipop now?" Ed asked in a stoned voice. "Thank a man for doing his job, it'll just got o his head." Doc replied. Marcus turned around and walked into the church.


	9. Chapter 9: Survivors

Chapter 9: Survivors

Amy woke up on the rooftop of the office in Marshall, the fall air was freezing this early in the morning. She sat up shivering from the cold, she stood up and walked to the ledge to look out for zombies. The streets looked empty at the moment except for a few stragglers, she walked to the ladder at the back of the building and looked down. The coast was clear, she scaled down the ladder and slowly crept to the main street. Amy spotted a Gremlin parked at the intersection, the small car had the keys still in it and half a tank of gas. She got in the driver's seat and drove out of Marshall, she drove on the roads of Trumbull Valley hoping to find survivors. She was heading east on a road that seemed to circle the county, she passed a gas station that was abandoned. Amy kept driving on the long stretch of road, she come to a screeching halt when she spotted a juggernaut zombie. She revved the engine and floored it with everything she had. Amy rammed the giant to only damage her car, the hood was smashed in and the tires burst. The juggernaut grabbed the car and picked it up, he threw the car against a rock wall knocking Amy unconscious.

 _ **Four days earlier**_

 _Amy, Matt, Maddy, Derek, and Dan were scavenging a house in Marshall, they were barely scraping by for the past two weeks on food, medicine, and ammo. Dan just got done searching the bathroom for medicine only to find nothing, Amy searched the kitchen to find a frying pan and a can of salt. Matt and Maddy had no luck either. They met back in the living room where they gave a report. "There's nothing in this house, not even a fucking can of soup." Dan said in a frustrated tone. "I know it, every place we've been to has been looted." Matt replied. "Let's find another house, there's gotta be something around." Derek told them. "Shut up! You lost your right to an opinion when you ate all our food!" Dan shouted at Derek. "Leave him alone!" Maddy shouted getting in Dan's face. Dan backhanded Maddy knocking her to the floor, Matt rushed Dan and punched him in the mouth defending his baby sister. Dan grabbed Matt by his shirt when Derek broke them up. "Enough!" He shouted in a loud angry voice. Suddenly they heard a noise, Dan looked at the door which burst open. A giant swarm of zombies flooded the house, they came in all entrances both doors and all the windows, attracted by the fight that took place._

 _Dan cocked his revolver and shot one of the zombies, the noise attracted more zombies. Derek was attacked from behind, he was immediately eaten by ten zombies that overpowered him. "Come on! We gotta go!" Dan shouted fighting his way outside. Amy quickly followed Dan as Matt and Maddy were being eaten by the zombies, they ran through the streets of Marshall away from the zombies. They come to an intersection by the Alamo restaurant, Dan grabbed Amy by her arms. "We gotta stick together, alone we're vulnerable. Dan told her. "Got it." Amy said in a scared voice. They walked through Marshall avoiding the undead as they carried on. They come to a stop when they saw a screamer, Dan held out hos arm for Amy to stop as well. "Stay still, I'll put it down from here." Dan told her. Amy nodded nervously as Dan cocked his revolver. He aimed at the screamer and fired, the shot missed and the screamer alerted the other zombies. Soon they streets were filled with undead, surrounding Dan and Amy. "Shit, I'll distract them. You run for shelter." Dan told Amy. Amy started crying in fear, but nodded in agreement. Dan shot his gun and yelled. "Cone and get me you dead bastards!" He ran down the street leading a bulk of the zombies away from Amy, she ran the opposite direction towards a row of office buildings._

 **Present**

Amy woke up in the car, she looked around at her surroundings. A group of men were fighting the juggernaut. The men were Ed, Alan, Marcus, Sam Marshall, and Peyton Rassle. The beast went down after Marcus bashed it's head in with a nail puller, he turned around and looked in the car. Amy opened the door and stumbled out, her ankle was broken but she was alive. Marcus aimed his pistol at her, she looked up and held out her hand. "Wait, I'm fine." She said weakly. "She's alive!" Marcus said turning around. The men hurried over to her, Marcus and Sam picked her up and carried her to the truck. The men put Amy in the back of the truck and got in, Peyton, and Ed got in the bed with Amy while Alan, Sam, and Marcus got in the cab. Marcus drove through Spencer's Mill and to the church, they parked and helped Amy out of the truck. They held her while she limped to the infirmary, they sat her on the bed. Sandra looked at her foot, she stood up and looked at Amy. "Your ankle is broken I'll give you some pain killers, stay in bed for about three weeks and you'll be fine." She told Amy. "Thank you, all of you." She told the group. "No problem, I'm Marcus." Marcus replied. "Ed." Ed added in. "You'll get acquainted with the rest of us over time. Get some rest, you need anything ask Sandra. She's out unofficial caregiver." Marcus told Amy. Amy laid down on the bed, the group went back to their business.


	10. Chapter 10: Accusations

Chapter 10: Accusations

Jacqueline Marston and Mike Ross were driving through Turnbull Valley, the trunk of their station wagon filled with supplies they scavenged from the local farms. Mike drove the car while Jackie rode shotgun with her feet kicked up, the CD player was jamming "Don't Take The Girl" by Tim McGraw and the volume was on medium. "We sure got a good load." Mike said with a smile. "I hope it's enough. Noah has to eat." Jackie replied. Noah was their son, he was four years old and starving. "We got enough to feed Noah for the next twenty years." Mike said assuredly. They continued driving through the countryside, they approached the billboard a mile east of the trailer court where their tires suddenly pooped. Mike maintained control of the car until he stopped it, he looked at his girlfriend who was scared. "You okay?" He asked her. "Yeah, what happened?" She asked in response. "I don't know, I'm gonna take a look." Mike replied. Mike got out of the car and walked fifty foot behind the car, he saw really strong razor wire and stingers laying in the road across both lanes. Mike knelt down and inspected the wire, he ran back to the car where Jackie was smoking a cigarette to calm her nerves. "It's an ambush, grab everything and run." Mike said firmly.

Mike opened the trunk of the station wagon, and he and Jackie grabbed two out of the six rucksacks that laid in the back. As they turned around they were met with five masked bandits holding assault rifles to their faces. "Give me your stuff. Now!" One if the bandits demanded. "How am I going to feed my son?" Mike asked. The bandit hit Mike in the stomach with the butt of his rifle, Mike fell to his knees clutching his stomach. The bandit hit Mike in the back of the head with the butt and aimed at him. "Fuck your son, this stuff is ours now." The bandit replied. Mike gasped in pain, he stayed on his knees. Jackie backed away from the car as the bandits raided their supplies, after all the rucksacks were took and loaded into the pickup truck that bandits owned they got in the truck. One of the bandits got in Mike and Jackie's station wagon and they all drove off leaving Mike and Jackie stranded. They started walking down the road, Mike pulled his walkie talkie out of his backpack and got on got on the handle. "Hey, if anyone is on the handle we need picked up. We got robbed on our way back, if anyone is home come get us, we're by the Ballard homestead on the main road." Mike said into the radio.

Marcus, Sam Marshall, and Amy were out scouting for supplies. Amy had been on bed rest for the past month, she was walking around but was still hurt. Marcus was wearing his orange shirt, blue vest, and blue jeans. Sam was wearing a camo jacket, blue jeans, and work boots. Amy was in a black tank, black leather jacket, skin tight jeans, and boots. They drove around in Marcus's crew cab pickup, he was circling Spencer's Mill trying to find the least zombie infested house to scavenge. "Hey, we got reports of people getting ambushed outside of town, people getting beat up, robbed, stuff like that." Lily said over the radio. "Any idea who's behind it?" Marcus asked into the walkie talkie. "I don't know, could be Miss Kettleman, ooh or maybe the meals on wheels guy, he's got a van and everything. Or, and tbis is totally speculation. It may be the known felons who live just outside of town." Lily replied. "Yeah, it might be time to have a little talk with the Wilkersons." Marcus said before putting down the radio. "Who are the Wilkersons?" Amy asked. "Moonshiners, two brothers. They are armed to the teeth and mean as snakes. Be on your best behavior with them." Marcus replied. "Probably a good thing we didn't bring Ed." Sam said with a chuckle.

The crew pulled up at the old Barrett place and parked, Marcus, Sam, and Amy got out of the truck and walked up the hill. Job Wilkerson was standing at the bottom of the steps, he looked at Marcus. "Talk to the boys if you're here to trade. I'm busy." Job told Marcus. "Actually I came to talk to you. There's reports of people being robbed." Marcus replied. "I see, and you're the law on this matter are you?" Job asked. "More like a concerned citizen." Marcus replied. "Well your concern is noted. But we haven't had any problems. We take care of our own here." Job told Marcus. "And you wouldn't know anything about this do you?" Marcus asked. "Walk with me, let's see if I can't explain how things are." Job said walking towards the still. Marcus followed Job around the side of the house, Sam and Amy stayed out front. Dan walked outside and spotted Amy. "Amy? You made it!" Dan said with a smile. "Hello cousin." Sam said confronting Dan. "Should have known you'd ally yourself with these scum." Sam told Dan. "These "scum" saved my ass. Besides we do well for ourselves here." Dan replied

 _ **One month earlier**_

 _Dan gave the zombies the slip outside of Marshall, he wandered through the countryside of Trumbull Valley raiding houses for food and ammo, so far he found a bag of uncooked noodles and a bag of potato chips. Dan was nearing the end of his ammo stash, and his revolver only had two shots left. He walked through the empty field before coming across an orchard, he dropped his backpack and gun and started eating the fruit. Dan enjoyed the fresh oranges and apples from the trees in the orchard, his snack was interrupted by sounds of screaming from nearby. He picked up his backpack and revolver and ran to the source of the screaming, he come to an old run down barn with an old blue tractor parked outside. He listened for the screams that cone from a farmhouse across a the dirt trail from the barn, he ran inside the house where a woman was being swarmed by zombies. He flipped over the coffee table and broke off a leg, he come up from behind bashing zombie's heads in. The zombies turned their attention to Dan, they swarmed him trying to take chunks out of him. Dan fought off the zombies as they attacked him. He was soon overpowered and bought to the ground. A gunshot alerted the zombies, they turned their attention to a group of men lead by Mickey Wilkerson. The Wilkerson crew dispatched of the zombies, Mickey looked at Dan. "Good thing we showed up. You'd have been zed food otherwise." Mickey said reaching out his hand. Dan took Mickey's hand and Mickey helped Dan up._

 **Present**

Amy got between Dan and Sam, she noticed a small resemblance between them. "Wait cousins?" She asked. "I didn't know Trumbull was THAT small." She said confused. "How did you survive? I thought for sure you were a goner." Dan asked. "These people found me half dead and took me in, thank God. I'd be dead otherwise." She replied. Marcus got done talking to Mickey and Job and approached Sam and Amy. "Come on, we're done here." Marcus told them. Sam nodded and looked at Dan. "We got room in case you want to change your group." Sam told Dan. "I'm good right here." Dan replied. Amy looked at Dan, she looked down. "Take care of yourself." She told him. "You too, stay safe." Dan replied. Any followed Sam and Marcus down the hill, they got in the truck and left. "Did you find anything out?" Lily asked over the radio. "Job's denying it, but I think they know something about it at least." Marcus replied. "Great, our friends and neighbors. What do we do now?" Lily asked. "For now let's tell our runners to stay extra sharp we don't want to antagonize the Wilkersons if we don't have to." Marcus replied. "Got it, I'll tell everyone to be careful." Lily told Marcus. Amy stared at the scenery heartbroken from Dan's decision to stay with the Wilkersons.


	11. Chapter 11: No Place Like Home

**Disclaimer State Of Decay, it's dialogues and properties are owned by Undead Labs. I own no part of this story except background and OC's.**

Chapter 11: No Place Like Home

Marcus, Amy, and Sam Marshall got out of the truck, they walked into the church where Lily and Jacob were arguing. "I can't believe this! You wanna run away again!" Lily said aggressively. "Come on Lily, that's not fair." Jacob replied. "You're right, it's not. We built a home here. And you just wanna abandon it like everything else." Lily retorted. "What's going on here?" Marcus asked. "I was just telling Lily we need to find a new place to live. We're too cramped in here, and we have to go farther from the church to find supplies." Jacob replied. "It makes sense, we really don't have enough room for everyone here." Marcus replied. "Great maybe you wanna go too." Lily said spitefully before walking into the kitchen. "Uh should we?" Marcus asked looking at Jacob. "No she'll cool down, maybe we should go find a new place to live. Wanna go house hunting?" Jacob asked in response. "Let's go." Marcus replied. "Great. Let's head to Marshall and look around. Or we could just drive around and see what we see." Jacob told Marcus. They walked out the door and walked out of the gate, they got in the truck and drove off.

They first drove to a large house at the south end of the town, the mailbox said Kirkman on the side. "What do you think?" Jacob asked. "It's a possibility." Marcus replied while stopping the truck. They got out of the truck and entered the gate, Marcus noted the larger size of the yard. "We ha e enough space for more tents here, let's look inside." Marcus told Jacob. They walked in the house and looked around, there were two bedrooms big enough for eight bunk beds each. A large kitchen and a room for Lily to put her CB supplies. "This is looking good, but let's see what else is out there." Marcus told Jacob. "I'm cool with that." Jacob replied. They left the Kirkman residence and got back in the truck, Marcus drove west out of town before turning left going south. "What was all that about?" Marcus asked Jacob. "Forget it, you don't want to hear it?" Jacob replied. "Not much on the radio to fill the time." Marcus told Jacob. "Our mom died when I was thirteen, Lily was nine. Not long after that she was diagnosed." Jacob replied. "I'm sorry." Marcus said in a sympathetic tone.

Marcus turned down a dirt road to a farm, Jacob continued telling his story. "Dad was a wreck, I had to pick up a lot of slack. He'd always say "Jacob, I need you to be a man. Look after your sister." It was a lot for a kid to handle. As soon as I was eighteen I told dad I was moving to Danforth and going to college." Jacob explained. "What happened?" Marcus asked. "He blew up, we had a huge fight. I mean we were brawling in the house. I left out of there with a broken nose and two black eyes. We didn't talk for years after that, I just got in touch with him recently before the apocalypse. This is my first visit home. Anyway I don't think Lily's quite forgiven me yet." Jacob wrapped up. Marcus pulled up in front of a gated farmhouse that looked exactly like the Kirkman residence. "This could work, nice size, remote so there's not too many zombies." Marcus said with a confident look. "So remote that we'd have to drive ti get anywhere, but I see your point." Jacob replied. Marcus turned around and left the farm, he made it back to the main road

Marcus drove into the industrial area of Marshall, he pulled up at the Snyder Trucking Warehouse. "Now that's a place we can really stretch out in." Jacob said enthusiastically. "Yeah, but can you imagine how many people we'd need to keep it secure?" Marcus asked in response. He kept driving on the southern street through Marshall, he crossed the bridge into downtown and drove around. They come to The Alamo a local Mexican restaurant. "This doesn't look much bigger than the church." Jacob told Marcus. "Yeah, but it's right in the middle of Marshall. Plenty of supply options. Plus it looks like we can build onto the roof if we have to." Marcus replied looking at the flat roof of the yellow painted structure. He kept driving north taking a left at the topmost road. He headed west back into the industrial district, Jacob saw a house and looked at Marcus. "Stop here!" He exclaimed. Marcus stopped the truck and parked it, he and Jacob got out of the truck. "What do you think? Nice size, big yard, privacy wall that we can fortify pretty easy." He pointed at a tree house visible over the fence. "And check out that tree fort, we can turn that into a watchtower easy!" Jacob told Marcus.

Marcus smiled and looked at Jacob. "You seem pretty excited about this place." Marcus said. "Yeah well when I was a kid my best friend Sally Savini, used to live in this house. I was so jealous, I always wanted to live here." Jacob replied. "Well then, let's get inside." Marcus said opening the gate and entering the premises. Jacob followed him into the yard, they approached the front porch when the door swung open. A man stood there his eyes all pussey and his skin turning yellow. "Help me.." He said weakly. The man fell on the floor of the porch and died, Marcus approached the corpse and it immediately stood to its feet. The man was now a zombie, Marcus drew bis pistol and shot it in the head. "What the hell man!?" Jacob said in a nervous tone. "That didn't look like any disease I've ever seen. You?" Jacob asked. "No man, that was intense." Marcus replied. "Maybe we better leave huh?" Jacob asked. He and Marcus left the Savini residence and got in the truck, Marcus drove through industrial Marshall and parked at the Snyder Trucking Warehouse.

Jacob and Marcus got out of the truck, they stood adjacent to each other. "Well, that was the most exhaustive search through Trumbull Valley ever. I don't think we left any stone unturned." Jacob told Marcus. "Yeah." Marcus simply replied. "So what do you think?" Jacob asked. "I'll think about it." Marcus replied. "Sure, big decision I get it. Just remember, tree fort." Jacob said. They got in the truck and left Marshall, he drove north back towards Spencer's Mill. "Hey, I don't want to worry you but there's something you need to know." Lily said over the radio. "Go on." Marcus replied. "There's word of a new disease going around, people getting sick with a fever and dying." Lily told Marcus. "I think we just saw it." Marcus replied. "Well we better stock up on meds. Pastor Will's not looking so good." Lily told Marcus. Marcus drove back into Spencer's Mill and stopped once more at the Kirkman residence, he and Jacob got out of the truck and walked inside. Marcus looked around and nodded his head. "So no tree fort?" Jacob asked. "No, maybe in the future but we got a lot of supply here in the Mill that needs mined out." Marcus replied. He got his walkie talkie and raised Lily. "I think we could hold this place, the Kirknan residence here in Spencer's Mill." Marcus told Lily. "Are you sure?" Lily asked in response. "Yeah, tell everyone to pack up. We're moving in here." Marcus replied. Jacob looked at him disappointingly.


	12. Chapter 12: Safe Zone

Chapter 12: Safe Zone

Marcus's group of survivors have been in the Kirkman residence for five days, they had the place fixed up with an infirmary, a working kitchen, a bedroom big enough for four bunk beds, and a radio room for Lily. Marcus and Maya had set up outposts at four specific locations surrounding their base, making a majority of Spencer's Mill a safe zone. Another Enclave in the town were grateful as they can survive in peace. Sam Marshall was in the garage working with Peyton who was designated by Marcus as the group mechanic, Sam was a foreman before the zombie outbreak and he built bunkhouses for the members of his group. Marcus and Maya had their own tent of course so they could have some privacy, Lily slept in the house along with Sandra, Pastor Will, and Amy. Alan and Maya were at the watchtower as usual, keeping watch for any stragglers that come their way. Marcus and Ed were out scavenging, Sandra was tending to Pastor Will who has seemed to have gotten worse in the little time he's been sick. The pastor was coughing hard, and his fever didn't break, they quarantined him to the infirmary where Sandra took extra precaution taking care of him. She wore a particle mask and latex gloves while taking care of him, anyone with an injury was on bed rest and not allowed in the infirmary.

Marcus and Ed were out scavenging, they took their time since there was no threat in the safe zone. They were in the gun shot behind the base, Marcus searched upstairs while Ed searched downstairs. Marcus come across a cache of ammo and two grenade launchers, ge quickly loaded the rucksack and kept looking, walked into the backroom where a locker was standing against the wall. Marcus opened the locker to find another cache of ammo, he turned around and walked downstairs. Ed had found a cache of ammo as well and filled his rucksack, Marcus met him in the front. "Any luck?" Marcus asked. "Are you kidding? It's like Christmas. I figured this place would be the first to have gotten looted." Ed replied. "The thing about gun store owners are they want to keep their guns. They'll shoot people wanting to come in and take shit." Marcus told Ed. "We gotta come back, there's more ammo upstairs. Come on." Marcus told Ed. They walked outside and towards the house, they didn't feel the need to drive since it wasted fuel and the buildings were so close to home.

Marcus and Ed walked in the house, they approached the supply locker and unloaded their rucksacks. Between them they brought home ten cases of ammo, a grenade launcher, two pistols, a shotgun, and a grenade for the grenade launcher. Lily walked up to Ed and hugged him from behind. "Hey handsome." She said with a smile. Ed turned around and kissed Lily, he picked her up and carried her into the radio room and shut the door. Marcus just smiled and chuckled. "Guess I won't be getting no work outta him for awhile." He said to himself. Amy walked out of the kitchen where she had just eaten a bowl of oatmeal and approached Marcus. "Hey, how'd we do?" She asked him. "We did well, we still got more stuff at the gun store. I'm thinking of heading over that way. Want to tag along?" Marcus asked in response. "Sure, let me gear up." Amy replied. Sge got into the supply locker and took a large backpack, along with a .45 pistol, a suppressor, some ammo, a hatchet, a bottle of pain meds, and a candy bar. She and Marcus walked out the door, Maya spotted them leaving and climbed down the tower. "What's going on?" She asked Marcus. "Got more supplies to get, I'm done after this run." Marcus replied. "Okay, be careful." Maya told him. As he and Amy walked out the gate Maya grabbed Amy by her arm. "You stay away from him, he's mine." Maya told Amy firmly. "Relax, I won't try anything." Amy replied. "You better not, or I'll beat you senseless." Maua warned Amy. Maya turned around and climbed back up the watchtower, Amy followed Marcus down the street.

They entered the gun store and immediately packed up their rucksacks, when the store was empty they left. They returned home and unloaded the supplies, Marcus and Amy went their separate ways. Marcus walked outside when Mickey's voice came over the radio. "Anyone with a set of wheels and the inclination to play good Samaritan come on over. Ain't nothing too dangerous." Mickey said. "Dammit." Marcus said. He walked out of the gate and got in his truck, he drove out of Spencer's Mill and the the old Barrett place. Mickey, Job, and Mike Ross were at the barn, Mike was down on his knees looking roughed up. "See there, we take care of you. Our friend here will take you home. Isn't t right friend?" Job asked Marcus who was walking up. "Sure." Marcus replied. "See there, now get outtta here." Mickey told Mike. "Why do I suspect you aren't helping this guy out of the goodness of your own hearts?" Marcus asked Job. "Just looking after our customer base. You understand." Job replied. "Get him home safe, and drinks are on me when you get back." Mickey told Marcus. Marcus helped Mike to his feet, they walked over to the truck where Marcus helped Mike into the passenger seat. Marcus got behind the wheel and left the Wilkersons. "Where you live?" Marcus asked. "The old Ballard Homestead, south of here." Mike replied.

Marcus drove south down the dirt road, he looked at Mike who clutched his side. "What happened?" Marcus asked. "The Wilkersons decided I was behind on my payments, my fault for doing business with them. Still broken ribs are better than starving. I got a son who needs to eat." Mike replied. "Mickey really worked you over huh?" Marcus asked. "Mickey, no. He was the one who stopped it." Mike replied. "Wait what?" Marcus asked in confusion. "I know, surprised the hell out of me too." Mike replied. Marcus pulled up at the Ballard homestead and parked, he and Mike got out of the truck. Jackie and Noah walked outside, Noah looked scared seeing his dad hurt. "Where the hell have you!? Oh my God! What happened?" Jackie asked Mike. "I took a bad fall, lucky a good Samaritan stopped by and helped." Mike replied. "A bad fall huh? Well you need to go and lie down. Go on scoot." She told Mike. Mike nodded and walked in the house, Noah followed him inside. "Thanks for helping him, glad to see not all good folk are gone." Jackie told Marcus. "Your welcome." Marcus replied. He got in his truck and left the desperate survivors at the farmhouse.


	13. Chapter 13: Black Fever

Chapter 13: Black Fever

Marcus was on his way home from dropping Mike Ross off at the farmhouse, he was entering Spencer's Mill. "You need to get home right now." Lily's voice rang over the radio. "What happened?" Marcus asked. "Alan just shot Pastor Will." Lily replied. "Jesus, I'm on my way." Marcus told Lily. He drove to the base and parked his truck, he ran through the yard and into the house. Lily, Jacob, and Sam Hoffman were berating Alan. "Bitch all you want, you know I'm right. Nobody here had the balls to do what had to be done." Alan said aggressively. "Fuck you and your noble martyr bullshit! You don't fucking go around shooting people without consulting the rest of is!" Sam yelled with tears in her eyes. "You don't know he was going to die Alan." Lily told Alan. "Bullshit, everyone who gets this black fever shit end up dead sooner rather than later. You know that." Alan replied. "You still should've told us." Jacob added in. "We go around talking about our feelings then what? He turns and kills two or three of us before we put him down?" Alan asked in response. "What about me Alan? Do I have to start sleeping with one eye open?" Lily asked. "Start getting sicker then maybe." Alan replied coldly.

Marcus had enough he charged at Alan and tackled him, he started beating Alan's face into the floor. Jacob and Sam pulled Marcus off Alan who was holding his bloody nose. Alan stood up and drew his pistol, he aimed it at Marcus and cocked his gun. He felt a cold steel barrel against his head, he turned around to see Maya holding her rifle to Alan's head. "Drop. The. Gun." Maya said slowly but firmly.. Alan dropped his pistol and walked off holding his nose, Jacob and Sam let go of Marcus who restrained himself. "Good job back there, Alan has needed his ass kicked for a long time." Sam told Marcus. "He shouldn't have done what he done, the pastor kept this group together. Now our morale might dwindle." Marcus replied. The group went their separate ways, Marcus and Maya went outside, Sam went into the kitchen, Jacob went to the bedroom, and Lily went back to the radio. Alan grabbed his rifle and some ammo, he walked outside and left the Kirkman residence. He started walking down the street, staying in the safe zone. He started coughing a minor cough, he felt his head and it seemed warm. He shrugged it off and kept walking.

 _ **Six weeks earler**_

 _Alan Gunderson walked out the door of the ranger station, he put on his hat and grabbed his riflem sitting by the door. He was a park ranger at Mt Tanner, where he kept a sharp eye on the happenings. He walked through the parking lot and to the camp sites, one of the camps were tore apart. "Fucking bears!" Alan exclaimed in frustration. He kept patrolling the area, he spotted a black man in an orange shirt, and a blue vest fishing with a white man wearing a camo hat, a powder blue shirt, and a brown vest. Alan approached the fisherman, he clutched his rifle. "Ho there." Alan said in an authoritative voice. Marcus and Ed turned around from their fishing spot. "I see you boys are doing a little fishing." Alan said. "Yes sir, we got permits." Marcus replied. "These your empties?" Alan askes pointing at the empty crushed beer cans scattered around. "Yeah, we were going to pick those up." Ed replied. "You're going to pick em up. Right now." Alan said firmly. "We'll get to it." Marcus replied setting down his fishing pole. "Okay, then I'll just get to this fine I'll write for littering." Alan said pulling out hos ticket book. Marcus sighed he and Ed picked up the beer cans and threw them in the garbage can sitting by the lake._

 _Alan walked back to the ranger station, he walked inside where his boss Peter Brown sat at the desk. "Hey Gunderson, go into town and get us some donuts." Peter told him. "Yes sir." Alan replied disappointingly. Alan was the whipping boy of the station, everyone of the rangers used him as their gophers. Alan was unhappy about his position but did as he was told. He walked outside and got in his truck, Alan started it up and left the ranger station. He turned on the radio to the classic rock station, the radio was playing "1979" by The Smashing Pumpkins. This was Alan's favorite song, he drove into Spencer's Mill and parked at the gas station. He got out of the truck and walked in the door, he approached the counter where Glen Rivas was working as a clerk. "Gimme a pack of Kools and a dozen of your donuts." Alan told him. "Sure thing Mr. Gunderson." Glen replied. Glen grabbed a pack of Kool cigarettes from behind the counter and handed it to Alan, he then grabbed a box and started filling it with fresh donuts made at the gas station that morning._

 _Alan handed Glen the money after he was handed the donuts, he took the donuts and walked outside. He walked to his truck and put the donuts in the front passenger seat, as he got in the truck he saw a little boy being attacked at the other end of the parking lot. Alan drew his pistol and ran to the boy, he aimed his pistol at the attacker. "Get off him now! I am an officer of the law!" Alan shouted. The attacker turned around and looked at Alan, it's flesh rotting and it's eyes glowing red. The zombie started walking toward Alan, he shot at it hitting it in the stomach. The shot didn't slow down the zombie, Alan shot it again in the head bringing it down. He hurried to the little boy, the bot stood up now a zombie after being fatally wounded by the attack. The boy lunged at Alan, he fought off the boy slamming him to the ground and stomping on his head. Alan ran to his truck and started it up, he turned on the radio which wasn't playing music anymore but had an emergency broadcast. "Attention, everyone stay in your homes. There are killers on the loose attacking people. Stay inside, lock your doors, and wait for the all clear. That is all." The voice said. Alan got on the radio and tried to raise everyone at the ranger station. "Hello, Pete? It's Alan. Do you read?" Alan asked. There was no response._

 _Alan drove the truck up to Mt Tanner, he reached the bridge only to find that it was destroyed. He got out of the truck and looked at the broken bridge. "Danmit." Alan said to himself. He walked back to the truck, a voice was speaking on the radio. "Hello, can anyone hear me?" The voice asked. "Yeah I'm here. Who's this?" Alan asked. "Praise God. I'm William Mulroney, pastor of the Church Of The Ascension here in Spencer's Mill. I got shelter if you need it." Pastor Will replied. "Sure, I'm on my way." Alan said before he put the radio down and put the truck in drive. He drove back into town and turned left, he drove all the way to the end of the road and on a dirt road where the Church was. He parked his truxk and got out, Pastor Will met him at the gates. "Welcome my son, we are blessed to have you." Pastor Will said. "Yeah yeah yeah, anymore people in this place?" Alan asked. "We got a few, come inside and meet everyone." Pastor Will replied. He and Alan walked through the yard and into the church._

 **Present**

Alan sat in the kitchen of the base, he drank a hot cup of coffee while eating a day old sandwich. He started coughing even worse than before. "Are you okay?" Ed asked Alan. "Sure, just a little cough." Alan replied. "Okay then, maybe grab some meds from the communal supply." Ed told Alan. Alan nodded and continued eating, he finished the sandwich and walked to the supply locker, he found a bottle of tussin and some amoxicillin. Alan popped the antibiotic and washed it down with a shot of tussin, he walked back into the kitchen to finish his coffee. Marcus walked in the door and approached Alan. "Hey man." Marcus said. "Hey," Alan replied. "Listen, the other days was…" Marcus started. "Don't worry about it." Alan replied. "Good man, we can't afford to have enemies here. We're all in this together." Marcus explained. "Right. (cough cough)." Alan replied coughing violently. "Alan you don't sound good." Lily told him walking into the kitchen. "I'm fine." Alan replied. "Why don't you go to the infirmary?" Marcus asked Alan. "Because that's done everybody a lot of good so far right? Just leave me alone." Alan replied coldly. Marcus and Lily shrugged and walked away, Alan sat down and finished his coffee.

Alan started feeling dizzy, he didn't know if it was the meds or the disease. He found a piece of paper and a pen, he sat down and wrote a note. "Gone to the Fork In The Road Diner for a country fried steak. -Alan" Alan left the note on the table, he grabbed his backpack and pistol and walked out the door. He started walking through Spencer's Mill, heading towards the diner on the edge of town. He coughed and gagged violently as he walked, his fever was worse and he felt chilled to the bone. He approached the diner and walked inside, he sat at a table in silence. He put his backpack on the table and opened it up, inside were bullets for his pistol and some food he stole from the base. He sat there for a few minutes pondering his decision, he heard the door open and looked up. Marcus and Ed were standing at the door, Alan sighed and stared at them. "Should've known you'd come looking for me." Alan said somberly. "What are you doing here?" Marcus asked Alan, "I'm not gonna make it, there's only three options, turn and attack everyone, off myself, or trust one of you pussies to do it for me. The way I see it I'm better off doing the job myself." Alan explained. "No man, come home. We'll figure something out." Ed told Alan. "I'm done, the only thing you can do for me is what I'm man enough to do myself. Just leave me alone." Alan replied. Marcus and Ed walked away in defeat, they turned around and walked away from the diner. They reached the streets when they heard a gun shot from the diner, they knew Alan was gone.


	14. Chapter 14: Squatters

Chapter 14: Squatters

Sgt Erik Tan and his platoon were patrolling Spencer's Mil, their mission was to event squatters. They walked down the street weapons ready for zed, looters, and hostiles. Erik spotted a man and woman carrying rucksacks into a house, he stopped and looked at his men. "I spotted them Sgt." Captain Montresor told Erik. "Evict them. With lethal force if they resist." Montresor told Erik. "Yes ma'am." Erik replied. He and his platoon marched to the house, they approached Karen Tolbert and Anson Hearst. "Leave now." Erik simply said. "Fat chance, we need shelter." Karen spouted back. Erik and his soldiers aimed at the pair, Anson and Karen put their hands up. Erik used the butt of his rifle and hit Anson in the face knocking him back, two soldiers grabbed Karen and started grabbed her walkie talkie out of her backpack. "Don't trust the army, they don't care what happens to us. They're turning us out in the goddamn street." She said into the walkie talkie. "Okay lady, that's enough. Off the radio." Erik said snatching the walkie talkie from her hand. The soldiers walked Anson and Karen outside where they made the two kneel.

Captain Montresor approached the soldiers, she looked at Sgt Tan. "These the squatters?" She asked. "Yes, they were looting this house when we found them." Erik replied. "Get a sample of their blood, we need to check for infection vectors." Captain Montresor told Erik. "Yes ma'am." Erik said saluting his captain. He looked at one of his men and motioned him towards him, the soldier pulled out a needle and stuck it into Anson's neck. Another soldier did the same to Karen, the pair yelped slightly at the poke from the needle. "Good, we'll get it analyzed by the nerd at camp. In the meantime, let's get our friends ready to vacate." Erik told his men. Captain Montresor was in the house taking samples while Erik and his platoon held Karen and Anson at gunpoint. "They resisted, our orders are clear. We are to use lethal force on them. Get your guns ready." Erik said aiming his rifle at the two.

A truck pulled up and parked, Ed and Amy got out. They witnessed the army forcing the two squatters to kneel on the ground. "Come on man, we're just trying to survive here. You can't kill us for that!" Karen said loudly. "Uncle Sam would disagree with you. Our orders are to evict squatters. With lethal force if they resist. You resisted so." Erik replied. "Please let us go man, I got kids." Anson said in a panicked voice. "Yet here you are, violating quarantine, squatting, looting. Great parenting." Erik replied again. "Please, we're just trying to survive out here. Same as everyone." Karen told Sgt Tan. Sgt Tan sighed, he lowered his rifle and looked at the pair. "You got twenty seconds to get out of my sight. Twenty, nineteen, eighteen, seventeen." He started counting. They ran away as he was counting not even looking back. "This is about the biggest crock of horse shit ever." Erik said with discontent in his voice. Captain Montresor walked outside, she looked at Erik. "We're done here captain. Get your men ready for evac." Captain Montresor told Erik. "Yes ma'am." Erik replied. He noticed Ed and Amy watching the goings on, he looked at them and pointed. "You two make yourselves useful and go babysit those other two." Erik told them. Ed and Amy got in the truck and drove through town.

 _ **Six weeks earlier**_

 _Anson Hearst put on his best suit, he was getting ready for work at the Hearst Funeral Home in Marshall. He walked outside the door of his house, and breathed a breathed a breath of fresh air. Anson walked down the street, greeting the townsfolk as he walked. "Good morning Mr. Hearst one of the townsfolk said. "Good morning to you to." Anson replied. Anson turned a corner on the street and ran into Sheriff Carl Parsons, making the sheriff spill coffee on his clothes. "I'm sorry Carl." Anson told Sheriff Parsons. "Don't worry about it, I should've been paying attention." Carl replied. Carl was a balding man in his mid thirties, what hair he had left was black and he was a slim build with a small beer belly. "Anything interesting been happening around here?" Anson asked Carl. "Not much, you been watching the news?" Carl asked in response. "No, why?" Anson asked. "There's been attacks on hospitals, they said it was cannibalism and violent attacks. I'm keeping an eye out for strange things." Carl explained. "Weird." Anson replied. "Well I best be off to work." Anson told Carl. "Okay, have a good day." Carl replied. Anson continued down the street, he stopped in front of Hearst Funeral Home and walked up the steps._

 _Anson took a sip of coffee from the percolator in his office, he sat his mug down on the desk and say in the chair. Anson opened up the Marshall Herald newspaper and started reading, a noise distracted him from his paper and he looked up. Anson stood up and walked out the door of his office. A growling noise caught his attention from the parlor where Mrs. Peterman's recently deceased body was being put on display for the funeral. Anson slowly walked into the parlor, to his horror he spotted a decayed person eating Mrs. Peterman's remains. Anson screamed at the sight, the zombie turned around and ran at Anson. He ran back into his office and shut the door, he opened the top drawer of his desk to find his .357 magnum and a box of bullets. Anson loaded his gun and spun the cylinder. The zombie was beating on the door with all it's might, finally it pushed its way in. Anson aimed his revolver at the zombie and cocked back the hammer, he pulled the trigger shooting the zombie in the head. Anson ran outside, the streets of Marshall was in chaos. Anson ran back in the funeral home and deadbolted all the doors._

 **Present**

Anson and Karen were once again hiding in the house, it didn't have any supplies as it had already been scavenged. They were in the bedroom hiding when they heard the door open, Anson looked up and crouched back down. Ed walked into the room, Anson and Karen sighed in relief that it wasn't the army. "What do you want?" Anson asked Ed. "Come with me, we got room at our place." Ed told him. "Oh my god, thank you." Anson said in relief. He and Karen followed Ed and Amy outside. They all got in the truck and Ed drove on. "What was all that about?" Ed asked. "I don't know, we were minding our own when those army people showed up, they took us outside and took samples from us. Talking about infection vectors and some other shit I didn't understand. That captain, Montresor or whatever. Not like she even looked at us." Anson explained. "I need a drink to calm my nerves." Karen said nervously. "We got it, there's quite a few of us at our home who like our hooch. We trade stuff to the Wilkersons for some shine every once in a while." Ed replied. They drove up to the Kirkman Residence and parked, they all got out of the truck and headed inside. "Thank you. You have no idea what this means to us." Anson told Ed. "You got it." Ed replied. They walked in the house and settled in, Karen walked straight to the liquor cabinet and helped herself.


	15. Chapter 15: A New Face

Chapter 15: A New Face

Amy woke up in the top bunk of the bunkhouse in the backyard of the Kirkman Residence, she sat up, yawned and stretched. She got out of bed and stood up, she stripped herself of her pink booty shorts and thigh high pink socks and put on her mini skirt and yellow blouse, she put a pair of leggings on under the skirt and laced up her boots. Amy grabbed her leather jacket off the post on her bed and put it on, she grabbed her ballbat and pistol off the dresser and walked outside. Amy walked into the house and approached the supply locker, she grabbed a large backpack out of the locker and threw in a bottle of Tylenol, a bag of chips, and ammo. Amy put on the backpack and walked into the radio room, she noticed Lily sleeping in the chair with her dead and arms down on the desk. Amy nudged Lily waking her up. "Huh? Lily asked. "It's morning, I'm heading out to scout for supplies and survivors." Amy told Lily. "Okay, best of luck." Lily replied. Amy turned around and walked outside, she walked out the gate and started walking.

Amy stayed in the safe zone, which was mostly mined out by her group. She come to the tavern which was right outside the safe zone. Amy walked in the tavern and looked around, she searched every room for zombies. She come across two in the back room who were playing possum, Amy quietly bashed their brains in to avoid attracting more. After the zombies were dealt with she started scavenging for supplies, she searched the cupboards for food and booze. She found a small stash of food and a large supply of liquor, she quickly filled her rucksack with the supplies. While grabbing the rest of the food she accidentally knocked over a bottle of whiskey, the bottle fell to the floor breaking. "Dammit, that's gonna bring trouble." She said to herself. Amy stood up and drew her pistol, ready for the horde of zombies to come her way.

The zombies piled into the tavern, Amy shot as many as she could, hitting and missing random zombies. They eventually got too close and she tried fighting them off with her bat, the zombies proved to be too much and she got jumped on by several zombies. As she had given up she heard a loud gunshot attracting the zombie's attention, a tall handsome man in black jeans, a blue jean jacket, sunglasses, brown work boots, and spiked, hair put down the zombies with ease with his M16 rifle. He walked up to Amy and held out his hand, Amy took it and stood up. "You okay?" He asked her. "I am now." Amy replied shyly. "We gotta get out of here, more will be here soon." He told her. The stranger grabbed her hand and they ran outside, he got in his truck and she got in the passenger side. The man started the truck and drove off, he drove into the safe zone unknowingly. "You alone?" He asked her. "No I got a group around the block, what about you?" She asked in response. "Yeah, my enclave got eaten. Name's Kevin Bayne." Kevin told her. "Amy Young." Amy replied. "Well Amy Young, let's get you back to your people." Kevin told Amy.

Kevin pulled up at the Kirkman Residence, he parked his truck and they got out. Amy and Kevin walked through the gate and into the house. "You're back." Lily said noticing Amy. "Who's this?" She asked Amy pointing at Kevin. "Kevin Bayne, he saves my life from a horde. He doesn't have a place to gi and I figured he can join us." Amy replied. Sure, he looks useful. Let's get him some food." Lily told Amy. Kevin sat at the table, he put his M16 on the table next to him. Amy grabbed a pack of lunch meat ham out of the fridge, along with a tomato and a bottle of mayo. She grabbed the bread off the counter and opened it up, Kevin lit a smoke and watched the beautiful girl fix his meal. Amy had finished the sandwiches and sat the plate on the table in front of Kevin, he started eating the food when Marcus walked in. "Who's the guy?" Marcus asked Lily. "He's our new member, he saved Amy from a zombie horde. I figure we could at least feed him and welcome him into our group." Lily replied. "Sounds good, we need numbers. I'll go talk to him." Marcus told Lily. Marcus turned around and walked to the kitchen table, he sat down across from Kevin. "You're the new guy?" Marcus asked. "That's right." Kevin replied. "I'm Marcus, I'm the leader of the group." Marcus told Kevin. "Kevin, appreciate you letting me into your home." Kevin replied gratefully. "Everyone pulls their own weight around here, no freeloaders. Got any skills that could prove useful?" Marcus asked him. "I can shoot, I served in the marines and did two tours in Iraq before this shit went down. I can handle myself with or without a gun." Kevin replied. "Good, we need more guys on the watchtower. Anything else." Marcus asked. "I started working construction when I got discharged. If you got any project needs done I can help." Kevin replied. Marcus stood up and shook Kevin's hand. "Welcome to the group Kevin." Marcus told Kevin. Marcus turned around and walked outside, he left Kevin to his lunch.


	16. Chapter 16: Mined Out

Chapter 16: Mined Out

 **Spencer's Mill, Trumbull County. December 3** **rd** **2013**

Winter had come quick in Trumbull Valley, the cold weather didn't slow down the zombies. The group had mined out all resources in Spencer's Mill, and supplies were low. Amy pilfered through the cupboard in the kitchen searching for food, only to find an expired can of tomato paste. Lily groaned in pain from her hunger pangs, the weather was too cold for a garden so food wasn't an option. Marcus walked in the door, his rucksack full of supplies. "Food's here." Marcus said setting his rucksack on the table. Lily, Amy, and Maya all stormed the table, they opened up the rucksack and took what little food was in it. Marcus had found some ammo, meds, and enough food for one meal. "Ladies, save some for the rest of us." Marcus told the girls. Maya growled at him before eating the bag of chips, Lily and Amy wolfed down the nuts and canned vegetables. Marcus grabbed the chips out of Maya's hands, Maya started slapping on him which didn't faze Marcus.

Marcus restrained the starving Maya, she calmed down and he let go. Marcus grabbed the food out of the rucksack and started putting it in the cupboards. Lily groaned again in hunger. "Ugh we need some food in here. We don't have enough space for a garden either." Lily told Marcus. "Maybe we should move down to Marshall, plenty of supply options there." Marcus suggested. "That's a good idea, you and Ed go and look for a place in Marshall that might suit us." Lily replied. Marcus walked to the bedroom and woke Ed up, Ed looked up at his best friend. "What?" He asked Marcus. "Come on, we're going house hunting in Marshall." Marcus replied. Ed nodded and sat up, he grabbed his ball cap and out it on his head. He and Marcus walked out of the bedroom and to the front door. They exited the Kirkman Residence and walked out the front gate, Marcus and Ed got in Marcus's truck and drove down the street.

Marcus and Ed drove into Marshall, Ed looked around at the aftermath of the outbreak. "Man, so many people dead. Makes me uncertain for our future." Ed told Marcus. "Yeah, I think we'll be okay. We got a solid group and a good survival plan." Marcus assured him. Marcus drove through the industrial area of Marshall, he crossed the bridge into downtown. He drove through the back streets and finally came onto The Alamo, a former Mexican restaurant, Marcus parked the truck and got out. He and Ed walked inside the restaurant and looked around, Marcus nodded in approval. He grabbed his radio out of his backpack and spoke into it. "I found us a place, it's a little small but plenty of supply options." Marcus told Lily. "Great, where is it?" Lily asked. "The Alamo restaurant in Marshall." Marcus replied. "Okay, I'll get everybody moving." Lily told Marcus. Marcus and Ed walked outside, they walked across the street to the supermarket and walked inside.

The store was giant, most of the food was scavenged out. Empty coolers and isles filled the store. Marcus and Ed walked to the back, they started searching the stockroom for food and other supplies. Ed found four giant stashes of food, Marcus found two. They loaded up a rucksack each full of food and walked back into the front, walking their way was a screamer. A zombie with no arms, or a lower jaw. Marcus drew his pistol and pulled the trigger, the bullet killed the screamer before it could draw anymore zombies. The gun had a suppressor on it so it mufflef the gunshot. They walked back to the Alamo, two crew cab pick ups, along with a station wagon and a sedan pulled up to the new base. Lily and the group all got out of their cars and looked at the restaurant. "We got enough space?" Lily asked Marcus. "Yeah, and we found a shitload of food." Marcus replied proudly holding out his rucksack. "Great, we'll eat then we'll fix this place up." Lily told him. The group walked inside the gates and entered their new home.


	17. Chapter 17: The Law

Chapter 17: The Law

Marcus, Kevin, Maya, and Ed were walking through Marshall, their objectives were to scavenge and set up outposts. They picked four locations in Marshall, each surrounding the Alamo. Kevin just finished setting up an outpost at the supermarket across the street from the base, Marcus was searching and office on the northwest corner of Main Street, the office was empty with materials. Marcus picked this spot as an outpost, he got on the radio and phoned it in. "I got a spot picked northwest of the office, send some of our guys to start setting traps." Marcus told Lily. "Got it." Lily replied. Ed and Maya did likewise with their respective spots, they met back in the middle of town. A broadcast came over the radio. "Attention citizens of Trumbull Valley, this is Judge Lawton. Marshall Municipal Courthouse is a safe place. We have food, security, and shelter. Provided your able to obey the laws you're welcome to join us here." A woman's voice said over the radio.

After the traps were in place and a safe zone was established in downtown Marshall, the four decided to head back home. Maya and Marcus climbed up the ladder to their tent on the roof, Kevin met Amy in the kitchen, she was cooking the group chili. He walked up and hugged her waist from behind, she giggled as he kissed her neck. Amy turned around and started kissing Kevin, another broadcast came over the radio. "Attention citizens, there have been reports of multiple infestations of the downtown Marshall area. For your own safety, I'm declaring a lockdown. Effective immediately and until further notice. This is a matter for the police, and they will deal with it." Judge Lawton said over the radio. Marcus heard the broadcast on his walkie talkie and got got out of bed, he got dressed and looked at Maya who was laying naked in bed. "You really have to check that out now?" She asked Marcus. "Yeah, I really do. I'm gonna go to the courthouse and see what this judge is all about." Marcus replied. Marcus climbed down off the roof, he grabbed his backpack full of stuff out of the supply locker and headed out.

The courthouse wasn't full of survivors, but it was pretty secure. There were two watchtowers opposite of each other at the courthouse entrance, with armed swat members guarding. Barricades were in front of the courthouse to keep zombies outside, and a large fence covered all but the entrance to the courthouse. Marcus walked inside and noticed a bald slim man who wore a sheriff's uniform talking to an overweight black woman. "I can't control these infestations, we're shorthanded." Sheriff Parsons told Judge Lawton. "I understand your problem Sheriff, but I don't understand what you expect me to do about it. We only have so many law enforcement officers left, and I'm nt comfortable with the prospect of arming civilians for this kind of work." Judge Lawton replied. "If you'd let me start training them I'd.." Carl told her before being cut off. "We'll discuss this later Sheriff, we have a visitor." Judge Lawton said walking towards Marcus.

The judge looked at Marcus, she noticed his pistol sticking out of his backpack. "Welcome, I suppose you heard our broadcasts. Well it's all true, we have a society here governed by the rule of law. Walk with me." Judge Lawton told Marcus before walking through the courthouse. "A society? I'm sorry, but what exactly happened to the United States when I wasn't looking?" Marcus asked Judge Lawton. "Look around you, the streets are in chaos. So we built a society of law abiding citizens. It may not be the most constitutionally traditional succession. But it's all we have." Judge Lawton replied. "All we have? The army's camped just across the river." Marcus said in confusion." Yes and other than vaguely threatening broadcasts, they have made no effort to provide relief for the civilian government. Meanwhile ordinary citizens like yourself are living in fear, fear of the zombies, fear of the criminal element that plague our streets. But it doesn't have to be that way." Judge Lawton replied. They made it to the jail of the courthouse, Sherriff Carl was waiting by the cells with Brendan Roberts his deputy. "And of course all firearms will be surrendered. Only those duly appointed deputies by me will be allowed to carry." Judge Lawton told Marcus.

Marcus looked at her like she was crazy, he chuckled at what a joke this place was. "Right. Well thanks for the offer, but we're doing just fine on our own. And I'm damn sure not giving up my guns when the streets are full of flesh eating dead people." Marcus replied. "I'm very sorry to hear that. I'd prefer people join us freely, before the issue has to be forced." Judge Lawton threatened. "Is that a threat?" Marcus asked boldly. "Just a reminder that the wild west doesn't last forever." Judge Lawton replied before walking away. "Don't mind her, she's under a lot of strain. Guess you might've heard we're shorthanded. Tell you what, help us clear some of these problem areas out and I'll vouch for you. Put in a good word, maybe set up a trade deal." Carl told Marcus. "Sure." Marcus replied. "Hope you're geared up. We have a lot of infestations to deal with." Carl told Marcus. Carl and Brendan followed Marcus outside, they got into a police cruiser parked outside the courthouse and drove down the street.

Marcus drove through Marshall to the first infestation, he drove slowly and carefully around the crashed cars that were parked throughout the town. "Hate to see the old girl like this." Carl said. "Wait, what?" Marcus asked. "The town, used to be a fine place to raise a family. Of course my wife didn't agree, but never you mind." Carl replied. "What happened?" Carl asked. "She married a machinist, didn't like it when I became a cop instead. She finally had enough a few years back, took my boy and moved to the city. Said it'd be a more enriching environment for him." Carl explained. "I'm sorry." Marcus replied. "Not your fault, I just hope things there aren't as bad as they are here." Carl told Marcus as he drove down the street. They pulled up to the first infestation, they got out of the car and prepared for battle. They ran inside the house, it was filled with thirty zombies. Two of the zombies were screamers, they have no arms, or a lower jaw and one scream from them can attract zombies in a 500 foot radius. Marcus shot the screamers before doing anything else, he and the police started working on the zombies.

They fought against the infestation, killing dozens of zombies in the house. When the house was clear they got back in the car. "If you think it's bad now, you should've seen Marshall the first couple days. The whole town was in panic, Mayor Carson got himself shot trying to cross the bridges, the city council locked themselves in a room and wouldn't come out. It was chaos. Judge Lawton stepped up, got everybody organized. Without her we'd all be dead." Carl told Marcus. "Mayday, mayday. Anybody hear me? I'm penned down in Marshall, I'm low on ammo and there's a lot of zombies!" A woman's voice said over the radio. "Forget the infestations, we need to save that girl." Carl said. Marcus drove past the infestation and into Marshall, they pinpointed the woman's location by the gunshots. Marcus pulled up at the empty house and parked, he and the policemen got out and ran inside. They dispatched of the regular zombies, a feral pounced on Marcus and bit into his torso. Carl shot the feral in the head killing it, Marcus stood up clutching the wound. "Thanks, not sure I would've made it." The woman said. "Not a problem." Carl replied. "What's your name?" Brendan asked her. "Jenna Smith." Jenna replied. "You're welcome to come back with us Jenna." Carl told her. "That's enough for today, the rest of those infestations can wait. Appreciate the help." Carl told Marcus. Carl, Brendan, and Jenna walked outside, leaving Marcus in the empty house.


	18. Chapter 18: Finding Jack

Chapter 18: Finding Jack

Kevin and Amy were walking through Marshall, they were scavenging for supplies and looking for survivors. Kevin wore a his jean jacket, blue jeans, .motorcycle boots, and a flannel shirt. Amy wore a pair of leggings, heeled boots, and a purple hoodie she borrowed off Lily. Amy's long blonde hair was in a ponytail, she packed her bat and pistol. Kevin was armed with his M16 and a crowbar. They walked through the back alleys of downtown Marshall, they come to the office building that Amy holed up in months before. They walked inside to find the place empty, desks were turned over and no supplies were to be found. Kevin walked out the front door and looked around, there were two more entrances to different departments of the building. He and Amy walked inside one and looked around, Kevin found a stash of construction materials and loaded his rucksack full. Amy found gas for the generators, she pickex up the five gallon can which proved to be too heavy for her. "Let me help." Kevin said before grabbing onto the can gently.

They walked back through Marshall, the group had already set up their outposts making the center of downtown Marshall a safe zone. They approached the Alamo and walked inside, Kevin sat down the gas and rucksack. "Got this while we were out." Kevin told Lily. "Oohh, whatcha got?" She asked excitedly. "Oh, you know. Stuff." Kevin replied. Kevin and Amy turned around and walked back outside, they left the Alamo to search for more stuff. "Hang on, I got a transmission coming in I think. Gimme a second to get it tuned in." Lily said over the radio. "Jack, dammit man where are you?" A voice with a southern accent said over the radio. "We'll handle it." Kevin replied. He and Amy walked through Marshall once more, Kevin had traits of a leader, so Marcus made Kevin the delegate for other enclaves, he helped out the other groups when they needed it.

They found the survivors in a shed outside a house on the edge of the safe zone, Quentin Barnes, and Bob Macklin were inside talking. "I don't like this one bit. Jack knows not to go off alone." Bon told Quentin. "You wanna give up and go home?" Quentin asked in response in a southern accent. "I didn't say that. He should have known better is all." Bob replied. "Heads up, we got visitors." Quentin said looking at Kevin and Amy. "How are you?" Kevin asked Quentin. "We bit off more than we can chew, our friend Jack has been missing and we're looking for him. Can you help us?" Quentin asked Kevin. "I'm on it." Kevin replied. "Thank you, last time we heard from him, he was somewhere in this vicinity. Let's get looking." Quentin told the other three.. They started going through houses searching for Jack, they split up and each searched a room. Once they fully searched the empty house they left and entered another.

Jack Ferris laid crouched in the bathroom of an empty house, he had been there for five hours waiting. He heard a noise out in the living room, it sounded like a door being forced open. Jack stayed in the shadows hoping that whatever it was wouldn't spot him, he heard footsteps coming his way. "Jack, you there?" Quentin's voice asked. Jack stood up and ran to his friend. "Oh Jesus. I thought nobody was gonna show up." Jack said hugging Quentin. "Let's get out of here." Quentin replied. The group of five walked outside and got into Quentin's truck, Kevin took the wheel. "Where do you live?" Kevin asked. "Big Jake's garden supply, just outside of Marshall." Quentin replied. Quentin and Kevin were up front, Jack, Bob, and Amy were in the back. Kevin started driving through Marshall. "What happened to you?" Quentin asked Jack. "I was in town hunting for supplies, when I heard those cops running up the street. I don't know, maybe they'd have left me alone. But I heard those broadcasts and didn't want to take any chances, so I jump out the back window. And wouldn't you know it. I run into a goddamn horde." Jack explained. "Damn." Quentin said. "Yeah, only thing I knew to do was hole up in a house and hope they got bored." Jack replied.

Kevin pulled up to the store, the members of The Grange got out of the truck. "Here we are." Quentin told them. "You two come on in. Least we could do is feed you." Quentin told Kevin and Amy. They all walked inside where a black haired beauty wearing a white t shirt, black skinny jeans, and a black leather jacket stood. "Quentin there you are." She said hugging Quentin. "You ever do anything that incredibly stupid again, I'll kill you!" She said in anger. "Hi, Becca." Quentin said. "Don't you "Hi Becca" me with your aw shucks small town charm. What were you thinking?" Becca asked. "Wr had to find Jack, we couldn't leave him out there." Quentin replied. "So you found him?" Becca asked in response. "We had a little help. This is Kevin and Amy, they helped us find Jack." Quentin replied introducing Kevin and Amy. "Alright, I'm impressed. You happy?" Becca asked. Jack walked to the fridge and got out a couple sandwiches to give to Kevin and Amy, they took them and sat down. "I saw some more of those trucks drive by while you were gone." Becca told Quentin. "What do you think they want?" Quentin asked. "I don't know, they may be the raiders that's been reported on the radio." Becca replied. "Well, if they try anything I'll protect you." Quentin assured her. "Dude, I can protect myself just fine." Becca replied. "Alright, well you can protect me too. I'm not proud." Quentin said with a smile. The members of The Grange went back to their duties while Kevin and Amy ate their meal.


End file.
